Australia vs North Korea
Australia vs North Korea: Military spending per person
Military spending per person: $1,316 in Australia in 2025 and $62 in North Korea in 2018, by SIPRI estimates. In 2018 the value was higher in Australia, by $1,015, or 17 times that in North Korea.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Australia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2015.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Australia | North Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,316 | – |
| 2024 | $1,288 | – |
| 2023 | $1,231 | – |
| 2022 | $1,244 | – |
| 2021 | $1,267 | – |
| 2020 | $1,064 | – |
| 2019 | $1,030 | – |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $62 |
| 2017 | $1,129 | $37 |
| 2016 | $1,093 | $36 |
| 2015 | $1,012 | $34 |
| 2014 | $1,101 | – |
| 2013 | $1,077 | – |
| 2012 | $1,157 | – |
| 2011 | $1,192 | – |
| 2010 | $1,056 | – |
| 2009 | $878 | – |
| 2008 | $881 | – |
| 2007 | $828 | – |
| 2006 | $697 | – |
| 2005 | $657 | – |
| 2004 | $602 | – |
| 2003 | $504 | – |
| 2002 | $408 | – |
| 2001 | $366 | – |
| 2000 | $383 | – |
| 1999 | $413 | – |
| 1998 | $382 | – |
| 1997 | $431 | – |
| 1996 | $451 | – |
| 1995 | $426 | – |
| 1994 | $419 | – |
| 1993 | $382 | – |
| 1992 | $394 | – |
| 1991 | $407 | – |
| 1990 | $394 | – |
| 1989 | $377 | – |
| 1988 | $355 | – |
- Estimate
- Highly uncertain
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Australia vs North Korea
Health
- Life expectancyAustralia: 83.9 years in 2023North Korea: 73.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityAustralia: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024North Korea: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityAustralia: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023North Korea: 14.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionAustralia: 4.62% in 2017North Korea: 3.09% in 2017
- Suicide rateAustralia: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017North Korea: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationAustralia: 26.5 million people in 2023North Korea: 26.4 million people in 2023
- Population growthAustralia: 0.99% a year in 2023North Korea: 0.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateAustralia: 1.64 births per woman in 2023North Korea: 1.78 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationAustralia: 87.7% in 2025North Korea: 64.2% in 2025
- Median ageAustralia: 37.8 years in 2023North Korea: 36.1 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overAustralia: 17.4% in 2023North Korea: 12% in 2023
- Net migration rateAustralia: 5.3 per 1,000 people in 2023North Korea: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Armed forces personnelAustralia: 60,000 people in 2020North Korea: 1.47 million people in 2020
- National powerAustralia: 0.6% of world capability in 2022North Korea: 1.41% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersAustralia: 0.44% of the labour force in 2020North Korea: 8.62% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsAustralia: 826 million TIV in 2025North Korea: 1 million TIV in 2010
- Arms exportsAustralia: 108 million TIV in 2025North Korea: 44 million TIV in 2025