Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in North Korea
North Korea: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 24.13 per 100 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in North Korea, 1980–2022
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in North Korea is 24.13 per 100 people, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.5% on the previous year and up 257.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in North Korea peaked at 24.13 per 100 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1980.
That places North Korea 210th out of 212 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0278 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0.2784 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.09 per 100 people | 1.73 per 100 people | 16.33 per 100 people | 9 |
| 2020s | 23.32 per 100 people | 22.87 per 100 people | 24.13 per 100 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 207 Papua New Guinea 38.77 per 100 people compare
- 208 Liberia 32.06 per 100 people compare
- 209 Northern Mariana Islands 32.02 per 100 people compare
- 211 Micronesia (country) 19.99 per 100 people compare
- 212 American Samoa 3.96 per 100 people compare
More science & technology data for North Korea
- Scientific and technical journal articles 269.28 (2023)
- Mobile phone subscriptions 6.35 million (2022)
- Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people 24.13 per 100 people (2022)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 6 (2020)
- Share of the population using the Internet 0.0% (2004)
- Patent applications, residents 6,937 (2020)
- Number of people using the Internet 0 users (2004)
- Net official development assistance to medical research and basic health sectors 5.28 million millions of constant united states dollars (2023)
- Share of the population within range of a 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G mobile network 95.1% (2022)
- Annual patent applications per million people 265.42 applications per million people (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in North Korea?
- Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in North Korea was 24.13 per 100 people in 2022, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 24.13 per 100 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1980.
- How does North Korea rank for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
- North Korea ranks 210th out of 212 countries with data for 2022.
- Is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 257.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.