Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:
racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese

Languages:
Korean

Religions:
traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom

Population:
24,720,407 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
[see also: Population country ranks ]

Age structure:
0-14 years: 21.7% (male 2,726,275/female 2,650,143)
[see also: Age structure 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-24 years: 16.4% (male 2,059,388/female 2,005,987)
25-54 years: 43.8% (male 5,411,221/female 5,415,744)
55-64 years: 8.5% (male 988,922/female 1,108,156)
65 years and over: 9.5% (male 798,363/female 1,556,208) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 45.2 %
[see also: Dependency ratios - total dependency ratio country ranks ]
youth dependency ratio: 31.5 %
elderly dependency ratio: 13.7 %
potential support ratio: 7.3 (2013)

Median age:
total: 33.2 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male: 31.6 years
female: 34.8 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.53% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]

Birth rate:
14.49 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]

Death rate:
9.15 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]

Net migration rate:
-0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]

Urbanization:
urban population: 60.3% of total population (2011)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization: 0.63% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas - population:
PYONGYANG (capital) 2.843 million (2011)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Maternal mortality rate:
81 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 83
[see also: Maternal mortality rate country ranks ]

Infant mortality rate:
total: 25.34 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 76
male: 28.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 22.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.51 years
country comparison to the world: 155
male: 65.65 years
female: 73.55 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.99 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]

Contraceptive prevalence rate:
68.6% (2002)
[see also: Contraceptive prevalence rate country ranks ]

Physicians density:
3.29 physicians/1,000 population (2003)
[see also: Physicians density country ranks ]

Hospital bed density:
13.2 beds/1,000 population (2002)
[see also: Hospital bed density country ranks ]

Drinking water source:
improved: