Human Rights Index vs. GDP per capita in North Korea
North Korea: Human Rights Index vs. GDP per capita was 0.024 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.024
Change on year
up 26.3%
World rank
174th
of 174 countries
All-time high
0.059
in 1946
All-time low
0.015
in 1972
Years of data
80
1946–2025
Human Rights Index vs. GDP per capita in North Korea, 1946–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for human rights index vs. gdp per capita in North Korea is 0.024, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 26.3% on the previous year and up 50.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, human rights index vs. gdp per capita in North Korea peaked at 0.059 in 1946 and was at its lowest, 0.015, in 1972.
That places North Korea 174th out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Human Rights Index vs. GDP per capita in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | 0.059 | — |
| 1947 | 0.058 | -1.7% |
| 1948 | 0.052 | -10.3% |
| 1949 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.049 | -5.8% |
| 1951 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.048 | -2.0% |
| 1957 | 0.043 | -10.4% |
| 1958 | 0.021 | -51.2% |
| 1959 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.017 | -19.0% |
| 1969 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.015 | -11.8% |
| 1973 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.016 | +6.7% |
| 2011 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.023 | +43.7% |
| 2020 | 0.024 | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 0.023 | -4.2% |
| 2022 | 0.023 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.018 | -21.7% |
| 2024 | 0.019 | +5.6% |
| 2025 | 0.024 | +26.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 0.024 is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.42, 6% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 0.024 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.728, 3% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0.0553 | 0.052 | 0.059 | 4 |
| 1950s | 0.0427 | 0.021 | 0.049 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.0202 | 0.017 | 0.021 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0154 | 0.015 | 0.017 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0167 | 0.016 | 0.023 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0218 | 0.018 | 0.024 | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More economy & growth data for North Korea
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows 1.90 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows 9.21 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)
- Imports by region of origin, annual growth rate 184.33 % change on previous year (2023)
- Vaccination coverage against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vs. GDP per capita 99.0% (2024)
- Imports by region of origin, per capita 3.77 current US$ per person (2024)
- Imports by region of origin 99.91 million current US$ (2024)
- Share of imports by region of origin 99.91 million current US$ (2024)
- Where China ranks among a country’s import partners 1 rank (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is human rights index vs. gdp per capita in North Korea?
- Human rights index vs. gdp per capita in North Korea was 0.024 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest human rights index vs. gdp per capita recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.059 in 1946.
- What is the lowest human rights index vs. gdp per capita recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.015 in 1972.
- How does North Korea rank for human rights index vs. gdp per capita?
- North Korea ranks 174th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is human rights index vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Human Rights Index vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which people are free from government torture, political killings, and forced labor, they have property rights, and enjoy the freedoms of movement, religion, expression, and association.