China vs North Korea
China vs North Korea: Military spending per person
Military spending per person: $237 in China in 2025 and $62 in North Korea in 2018, by SIPRI estimates. In 2018 the value was higher in China, by $102, or 2.65 times that in North Korea.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2015.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | China | North Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $237 | – |
| 2024 | $220 | – |
| 2023 | $208 | – |
| 2022 | $205 | – |
| 2021 | $201 | – |
| 2020 | $181 | – |
| 2019 | $169 | – |
| 2018 | $164 | $62 |
| 2017 | $150 | $37 |
| 2016 | $142 | $36 |
| 2015 | $141 | $34 |
| 2014 | $132 | – |
| 2013 | $119 | – |
| 2012 | $106 | – |
| 2011 | $92 | – |
| 2010 | $78 | – |
| 2009 | $72 | – |
| 2008 | $59 | – |
| 2007 | $47 | – |
| 2006 | $39 | – |
| 2005 | $33 | – |
| 2004 | $29 | – |
| 2003 | $26 | – |
| 2002 | $24 | – |
| 2001 | $21 | – |
| 2000 | $18 | – |
| 1999 | $16 | – |
| 1998 | $14 | – |
| 1997 | $13 | – |
| 1996 | $12 | – |
| 1995 | $10 | – |
| 1994 | $8 | – |
| 1993 | $10 | – |
| 1992 | $10 | – |
| 1991 | $8 | – |
| 1990 | $9 | – |
| 1989 | $10 | – |
- 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
China vs North Korea
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023North Korea: 73.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024North Korea: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023North Korea: 14.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017North Korea: 3.09% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017North Korea: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023North Korea: 26.4 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023North Korea: 0.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023North Korea: 1.78 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025North Korea: 64.2% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023North Korea: 36.1 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023North Korea: 12% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023North Korea: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020North Korea: 1.47 million people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022North Korea: 1.41% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020North Korea: 8.62% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025North Korea: 1 million TIV in 2010
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025North Korea: 44 million TIV in 2025