Cambodia vs North Korea
Cambodia vs North Korea: Adult literacy
Adult literacy: 71.9% in Cambodia in 2021 and 100% in North Korea in 2008, by UNESCO estimates. In 2008 the value was higher in North Korea, by 23.1 percentage points, or 1.3 times that in Cambodia.
% of adults · UNESCO
What the numbers say
- North Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2008.
- The world as a whole: 83.5% in 2008.
Every year
% of adults · UNESCO
| Year | Cambodia | North Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | – | – | 87.7 |
| 2023 | – | – | 87.6 |
| 2022 | – | – | 87.4 |
| 2021 | 71.9 | – | 87.2 |
| 2020 | 82.6 | – | 87 |
| 2019 | 87.7 | – | 86.8 |
| 2018 | – | – | 86.8 |
| 2017 | – | – | 86.5 |
| 2016 | – | – | 86.3 |
| 2015 | 80.5 | – | 86 |
| 2014 | 78.1 | – | 85.6 |
| 2013 | 79.7 | – | 85.2 |
| 2012 | – | – | 84.9 |
| 2011 | – | – | 84.7 |
| 2010 | – | – | 84.4 |
| 2009 | 76.1 | – | 83.8 |
| 2008 | 76.9 | 100 | 83.5 |
| 2007 | – | – | 83.1 |
| 2006 | – | – | 82.5 |
| 2005 | – | – | 82.6 |
| 2004 | 73.6 | – | 82.6 |
| 2003 | – | – | 82.2 |
| 2002 | – | – | 81.7 |
| 2001 | – | – | 81.4 |
| 2000 | – | – | 81.1 |
| 1999 | – | – | 80.9 |
| 1998 | 67.3 | – | 80.5 |
| 1997 | – | – | 79.3 |
| 1996 | – | – | 77.3 |
| 1995 | – | – | 76.9 |
| 1994 | – | – | 76.4 |
| 1993 | – | – | 76 |
| 1992 | – | – | 75.5 |
| 1991 | – | – | 75.1 |
| 1990 | – | – | 74.6 |
| 1989 | – | – | 74.1 |
| 1988 | – | – | 73.6 |
| 1987 | – | – | 71.9 |
| 1986 | – | – | 71.3 |
| 1985 | – | – | 70.7 |
| 1984 | – | – | 70.2 |
| 1983 | – | – | 69.5 |
| 1982 | – | – | 68.9 |
| 1981 | – | – | 68.4 |
| 1980 | – | – | 67.8 |
| 1979 | – | – | 67.2 |
| 1978 | – | – | 66.5 |
| 1977 | – | – | 65.9 |
| 1976 | – | – | 65.6 |
| 1975 | – | – | 65.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people aged 15 and over who can read and write a short, simple statement about their everyday life.
- Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, via the World Bank.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Cambodia vs North Korea
Health
- Life expectancyCambodia: 70.7 years in 2023North Korea: 73.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityCambodia: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024North Korea: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityCambodia: 19.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023North Korea: 14.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterCambodia: 29.1% in 2022North Korea: 66.5% in 2022
- DepressionCambodia: 3.1% in 2017North Korea: 3.09% in 2017
- Suicide rateCambodia: 4.5 per 100,000 people in 2017North Korea: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationCambodia: 17.4 million people in 2023North Korea: 26.4 million people in 2023
- Population growthCambodia: 1.25% a year in 2023North Korea: 0.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateCambodia: 2.58 births per woman in 2023North Korea: 1.78 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationCambodia: 41.1% in 2025North Korea: 64.2% in 2025
- Median ageCambodia: 25.8 years in 2023North Korea: 36.1 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overCambodia: 6% in 2023North Korea: 12% in 2023
- Net migration rateCambodia: -1.8 per 1,000 people in 2023North Korea: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending per personCambodia: $42 in 2025North Korea: $62 in 2018
- Armed forces personnelCambodia: 191,000 people in 2020North Korea: 1.47 million people in 2020
- National powerCambodia: 0.16% of world capability in 2022North Korea: 1.41% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersCambodia: 2.02% of the labour force in 2020North Korea: 8.62% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsCambodia: 56 million TIV in 2023North Korea: 1 million TIV in 2010
- Arms exportsCambodia: 1 million TIV in 2000North Korea: 44 million TIV in 2025