Afghanistan vs North Korea: Compare Statistics
Side-by-side comparison of 96 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.
Summary
Comparing Afghanistan and North Korea: Afghanistan leads on Televisions (100,000) against North Korea (1.20); Afghanistan leads on Electricity Installed Capacity (634,100) against North Korea (10.01); Afghanistan leads on Radios (167,000) against North Korea (3.36). Across 96 compared metrics, Afghanistan wins on 43 and North Korea wins on 35.
- Communications: 7 metrics compared
- Economy: 35 metrics compared
- Environment: 6 metrics compared
- Geography: 5 metrics compared
- Government: 4 metrics compared
- Health: 9 metrics compared
- Military and Security: 1 metric compared
- People and Society: 26 metrics compared
- Transportation: 3 metrics compared
Communications
7 metrics| Metric | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 🇰🇵 North Korea | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Penetration Rate (%) | 0.11 %★ | 0 % | |
| Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population) | 5.45 %★ | 0 % | |
| Internet Users | 223★ | 8 | |
| Press Freedom Index Score | 17.88 points★ | 12.64 points | |
| Radios | 167,000★ | 3.36 | |
| Televisions | 100,000★ | 1.2 | |
| Waterways | 1,200 | 2,250★ |
Economy
35 metricsEnvironment
6 metrics| Metric | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 🇰🇵 North Korea | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs) | 309,679★ | 525,276 | |
| Carbon Dioxide Emissions | 7.76★ | 55.74 | |
| Population Distribution | populations tend to cluster in the foothills and periphery of the rugged Hindu Kush range; smaller groups are found in many of the country's interior valleys; in general, the east is more densely settled, while the south is sparsely populated | population concentrated in the plains and lowlands; least-populated regions are the mountainous provinces adjacent to the Chinese border; largest concentrations are in the western provinces, particularly the municipal district of Pyongyang, and around Hun | |
| Protected Land Area for Adaptation | 3.6 sq km★ | 2.4 sq km | |
| Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country | 10.65 Cubic meters per year | 13 Cubic meters per year★ | |
| Total Renewable Water Resources | 65.33 | 77.15★ |
Geography
5 metrics| Metric | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 🇰🇵 North Korea | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization | 2.35 % | 4.47 %★ | |
| Agricultural land | 387,372 sq. km★ | 25,933.8 sq. km | |
| Coastline Length (km) | 0 km | 2,495 km★ | |
| Dam capacity per capita | 43.87 cubic meters per inhabitant | 793.79 cubic meters per inhabitant★ | |
| Irrigated Land | 24,930★ | 14,600 |
Government
4 metrics| Metric | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 🇰🇵 North Korea | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule of Law Index by Country | 6.1 %★ | 5.81 % | |
| Administrative Divisions | 34★ | 9 | |
| Independence | 19★ | 15 | |
| Suffrage Participation Rate | 18★ | 17 |
Health
9 metrics| Metric | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 🇰🇵 North Korea | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to Safe Drinking Water | 29.91 % | 66.61 %★ | |
| Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population) | 11.7★ | 9.9 | |
| Health Expenditure (% of GDP) | 7.4 % of GDP★ | 2 % of GDP | |
| HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate | (2021 est.) <0.1% | NA | |
| Hospital Bed Density | 0.4 people/sq km | 13.2 people/sq km★ | |
| Maternal Mortality Ratio (%) | 521 % | 67 %★ | |
| Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%) | 5.5 %★ | 6.8 % | |
| People Living With HIV/AIDS | 12,000 | NA | |
| Underweight Children Under 5 | 18.4 | 9.3★ |
Military and Security
1 metric| Metric | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 🇰🇵 North Korea | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP) | 165,000 | 1.47M★ |
People and Society
26 metrics| Metric | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 🇰🇵 North Korea | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currently married (Percent) | 65.73 % | 71.23 %★ | |
| Life expectancy at birth | 69.52 years | 76.14 years★ | |
| Median age of population | 17.46 years | 36.78 years★ | |
| Population Change | 1.50M persons★ | 60,580.4 persons | |
| Population density | 68.74 per sq. km★ | 221.44 per sq. km | |
| Total population | 45.04M persons★ | 26.64M persons | |
| Academic Freedom Index | 0.09★ | 0.04 | |
| Birth Rate (%) | 35.99 %★ | 12.99 % | |
| Contraceptive Prevalence Rate | 18.9 % | 70.2 %★ | |
| Death Rate (%) | 5.79 %★ | 9.01 % | |
| Education Expenditure (% of GDP) | 4.3 % of GDP | 14.6 % of GDP★ | |
| Female population of reproductive age | 10.79M persons★ | 6.08M persons | |
| Labor Force Participation Rate | 9.13 | 17.64★ | |
| Major Urban Areas Population | 4.59 people★ | 3.16 people | |
| Mean Male Height (cm) | 165.26 | 171.99★ | |
| Military Manpower at Military Age | 22★ | 18 | |
| Military Service Age and Obligation | service is voluntary; there is no conscription (2023) note: the Taliban dismissed nearly all women from the former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, except those serving in detention facilities and assisting with body searches | compulsory military service for men (17-30 years of age) and women (17-23 years of age); service obligation is reportedly up to 10 years for men and up to 7 years for women (2025) | |
| Percentage of population by degree of urbanization | 82.81 % | 86.47 %★ | |
| Physician Density | 0.32 people/sq km | 3.63 people/sq km★ | |
| Population Growth Rate | 2.86 %★ | 0.4 % | |
| Population living in slums | 74.25 %★ | 23.04 % | |
| Total deaths | 213,986.9 persons★ | 269,232.3 persons | |
| Total demand for family planning (Percent) | 36.45 % | 68.61 %★ | |
| Total fertility rate | 4.57 per woman★ | 1.76 per woman | |
| Total net-migration | 192,894.5 persons★ | -3,031.8 persons | |
| Under-five mortality rate | 50.42 per live births | 16.3 per live births★ |
Transportation
3 metrics| Metric | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 🇰🇵 North Korea | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP) | 0.04★ | 0 | |
| Airports | 68 | 81★ | |
| Heliports | 8 | 8 |