Where China ranks among a country’s import partners in North Korea
North Korea: Where China ranks among a country’s import partners was 1 rank in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1 rank
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
124th
of 206 countries
All-time high
2 rank
in 1982
All-time low
1 rank
in 1981
Years of data
45
1981–2025
Where China ranks among a country’s import partners in North Korea, 1981–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in rank.
Analysis
In 2025, where china ranks among a country’s import partners in North Korea stood at 1 rank. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, where china ranks among a country’s import partners in North Korea peaked at 2 rank in 1982 and was at its lowest, 1 rank, in 1981.
North Korea ranks 124th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 45 years of available data.
Where China ranks among a country’s import partners in North Korea, year by year
| Year | rank | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 1 rank | — |
| 1982 | 2 rank | +100.0% |
| 1983 | 2 rank | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 2 rank | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2 rank | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1 rank | -50.0% |
| 1987 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 2 rank | +100.0% |
| 1997 | 1 rank | -50.0% |
| 1998 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2 rank | +100.0% |
| 2002 | 1 rank | -50.0% |
| 2003 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 2 rank | +100.0% |
| 2022 | 1 rank | -50.0% |
| 2023 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1 rank | +0.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 1 rank is above the median for low income countries, which is 1 rank, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 1 rank is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1 rank, 1.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.44 rank | 1 rank | 2 rank | 9 |
| 1990s | 1.1 rank | 1 rank | 2 rank | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.1 rank | 1 rank | 2 rank | 10 |
| 2010s | 1 rank | 1 rank | 1 rank | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.17 rank | 1 rank | 2 rank | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 124 Algeria 1 rank compare
- 124 Angola 1 rank compare
- 124 Australia 1 rank compare
- 124 Azerbaijan 1 rank compare
- 124 Bahrain 1 rank compare
- 124 Bangladesh 1 rank compare
- 124 Bolivia 1 rank compare
- 124 Brazil 1 rank compare
- 124 Burkina Faso 1 rank compare
- 124 Cambodia 1 rank compare
- 124 Cameroon 1 rank compare
- 124 Central African Republic 1 rank compare
- 124 Chad 1 rank compare
- 124 Chile 1 rank compare
- 124 Colombia 1 rank compare
- 124 Congo 1 rank compare
- 124 Cote d'Ivoire 1 rank compare
- 124 Cuba 1 rank compare
- 124 Democratic Republic of Congo 1 rank compare
- 124 Djibouti 1 rank compare
- 124 Egypt 1 rank compare
- 124 Eritrea 1 rank compare
- 124 Ethiopia 1 rank compare
- 124 Ghana 1 rank compare
- 124 Guinea 1 rank compare
- 124 Hong Kong 1 rank compare
- 124 Iceland 1 rank compare
- 124 India 1 rank compare
- 124 Indonesia 1 rank compare
- 124 Iraq 1 rank compare
- 124 Israel 1 rank compare
- 124 Japan 1 rank compare
- 124 Jordan 1 rank compare
- 124 Kenya 1 rank compare
- 124 Kiribati 1 rank compare
- 124 Kuwait 1 rank compare
- 124 Kyrgyzstan 1 rank compare
- 124 Lebanon 1 rank compare
- 124 Libya 1 rank compare
- 124 Macao 1 rank compare
- 124 Madagascar 1 rank compare
- 124 Malaysia 1 rank compare
- 124 Mali 1 rank compare
- 124 Marshall Islands 1 rank compare
- 124 Mauritius 1 rank compare
- 124 Mongolia 1 rank compare
- 124 Myanmar 1 rank compare
- 124 Nauru 1 rank compare
- 124 Netherlands 1 rank compare
- 124 New Zealand 1 rank compare
- 124 Niger 1 rank compare
- 124 Nigeria 1 rank compare
- 124 Norway 1 rank compare
- 124 Pakistan 1 rank compare
- 124 Paraguay 1 rank compare
- 124 Peru 1 rank compare
- 124 Philippines 1 rank compare
- 124 Qatar 1 rank compare
- 124 Russia 1 rank compare
- 124 Rwanda 1 rank compare
- 124 Saudi Arabia 1 rank compare
- 124 Senegal 1 rank compare
- 124 Serbia 1 rank compare
- 124 Sierra Leone 1 rank compare
- 124 Solomon Islands 1 rank compare
- 124 Somalia 1 rank compare
- 124 South Africa 1 rank compare
- 124 South Korea 1 rank compare
- 124 Sri Lanka 1 rank compare
- 124 Syria 1 rank compare
- 124 Tanzania 1 rank compare
- 124 Thailand 1 rank compare
- 124 Togo 1 rank compare
- 124 Turkey 1 rank compare
- 124 Turkmenistan 1 rank compare
- 124 Uganda 1 rank compare
- 124 Ukraine 1 rank compare
- 124 United Arab Emirates 1 rank compare
- 124 Uruguay 1 rank compare
- 124 Uzbekistan 1 rank compare
- 124 Venezuela 1 rank compare
- 124 Vietnam 1 rank compare
More economy & growth data for North Korea
- Vaccination coverage against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vs. GDP per capita 99.0% (2025)
- Share of imports by region of origin 36.76 million current US$ (2025)
- Imports by region of origin 36.76 million current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows 9.21 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows 1.90 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Gross Domestic Product, GDP in millions constant 2021 international $ 52,947 (2027)
- Tax revenue vs. Electoral Democracy Index 0.083 (2025)
- Human Rights Index vs. GDP per capita 0.024 (2025)
- Imports by region of origin, annual growth rate 184.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Imports by region of origin, gaps filled 99.91 million current US$ (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is where china ranks among a country’s import partners in North Korea?
- Where china ranks among a country’s import partners in North Korea was 1 rank in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest where china ranks among a country’s import partners recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2 rank in 1982.
- What is the lowest where china ranks among a country’s import partners recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 rank in 1981.
- How does North Korea rank for where china ranks among a country’s import partners?
- North Korea ranks 124th out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is where china ranks among a country’s import partners rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Where China ranks among a country’s import partners. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Rank of China among a country's import partners, based on import values that include the cost of goods, freight, and insurance. A rank of 1 means it is the country's largest import partner.