Compare
Malaysia vs North Korea
How Malaysia and North Korea compare on 31 measures, from 1789 to 2025. The main differences:
- Life expectancy · In 2023, Malaysia was higher: 76.7 years against 73.6 years
- Population · In 2023, Malaysia was higher: 35.1 million people against 26.4 million people
- CO₂ per person · In 2024, Malaysia was higher: 8.32 tonnes against 2.5 tonnes
- Electoral democracy · In 2025, Malaysia was higher: 0.5 of 1 against 0.08 of 1
- Life expectancyMalaysia: 76.7 years in 2023North Korea: 73.6 years in 2023
- PopulationMalaysia: 35.1 million people in 2023North Korea: 26.4 million people in 2023
- TemperatureMalaysia: 25.9 °C in 2025North Korea: 8.5 °C in 2025
- Child mortalityMalaysia: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024North Korea: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024
Every measure
Health
- Life expectancyMalaysia: 76.7 years in 2023North Korea: 73.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMalaysia: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024North Korea: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMalaysia: 6.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023North Korea: 14.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterMalaysia: 93.9% in 2022North Korea: 66.5% in 2022
- DepressionMalaysia: 3.52% in 2017North Korea: 3.09% in 2017
- Suicide rateMalaysia: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017North Korea: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMalaysia: 35.1 million people in 2023North Korea: 26.4 million people in 2023
- Population growthMalaysia: 1.24% a year in 2023North Korea: 0.32% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMalaysia: 1.55 births per woman in 2023North Korea: 1.78 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMalaysia: 77.4% in 2025North Korea: 64.2% in 2025
- Median ageMalaysia: 30.1 years in 2023North Korea: 36.1 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMalaysia: 7.5% in 2023North Korea: 12% in 2023
- Net migration rateMalaysia: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023North Korea: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending per personMalaysia: $138 in 2025North Korea: $62 in 2018
- Armed forces personnelMalaysia: 136,000 people in 2020North Korea: 1.47 million people in 2020
- National powerMalaysia: 0.46% of world capability in 2022North Korea: 1.41% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMalaysia: 0.81% of the labour force in 2020North Korea: 8.62% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMalaysia: 7 million TIV in 2024North Korea: 1 million TIV in 2010
- Arms exportsMalaysia: 20 million TIV in 2024North Korea: 44 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Sources: UN, Gapminder and UN IGME, WHO/UNICEF, IHME, UNESCO, Our World in Data, V-Dem, UCDP, SIPRI, IISS, Correlates of War, ERA5, CMIP6, EDGAR, ITU, World Bank and FAO. Each measure’s page names its own and what it counts.
- Values are drawn on today’s borders. Years without a published value are left empty, never filled in.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time