North Korea vs France: Compare Statistics
Side-by-side comparison of 93 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.
Summary
Comparing North Korea and France: North Korea leads on Refined Petroleum Products Consumption (18,000) against France (1.71); North Korea leads on Refined Petroleum Products Production (11,270) against France (1.31); North Korea leads on Oil Imports (15,810) against France (2.22). Across 93 compared metrics, North Korea wins on 26 and France wins on 53.
- Communications: 6 metrics compared
- Economy: 34 metrics compared
- Environment: 5 metrics compared
- Geography: 6 metrics compared
- Government: 4 metrics compared
- Health: 8 metrics compared
- Military and Security: 1 metric compared
- People and Society: 26 metrics compared
- Transportation: 3 metrics compared
Communications
6 metrics| Metric | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 🇫🇷 France | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population) | 0 % | 81.44 %★ | |
| Internet Users | 8 | 17.27★ | |
| Press Freedom Index Score | 12.64 points | 76.62 points★ | |
| Radios | 3.36 | 55.3★ | |
| Televisions | 1.2 | 34.8★ | |
| Waterways | 2,250 | metropolitan France: 8,501 km (1,621 km navigable by craft up to 3,000 metric tons) (2010) |
Economy
34 metricsEnvironment
5 metrics| Metric | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 🇫🇷 France | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs) | 525,276 | -6.11M★ | |
| Carbon Dioxide Emissions | 55.74★ | 303.78 | |
| Population Distribution | 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 | much of the population is concentrated in the north and southeast; although there are many urban agglomerations throughout the country, Paris is by far the largest city, with Lyon ranked a distant second | |
| Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country | 13 Cubic meters per year | 120 Cubic meters per year★ | |
| Total Renewable Water Resources | 77.15 | 211★ |
Geography
6 metrics| Metric | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 🇫🇷 France | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization | 4.47 %★ | 4.22 % | |
| Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha) | 62.3 | 135.5★ | |
| Agricultural land | 25,933.8 sq. km | 281,003.2 sq. km★ | |
| Coastline Length (km) | 2,495 km | 4,853 km★ | |
| Dam capacity per capita | 793.79 cubic meters per inhabitant★ | 148.88 cubic meters per inhabitant | |
| Irrigated Land | 14,600★ | 14,236 |
Government
4 metrics| Metric | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 🇫🇷 France | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule of Law Index by Country | 5.81 % | 82.08 %★ | |
| Administrative Divisions | 9 | 18★ | |
| Independence | 15 | no official date of independence: 486 (Frankish tribes unified under Merovingian kingship); 10 August 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire); 14 July 1789 (French monarchy overthrown); 22 September 1792 (First French | |
| Suffrage Participation Rate | 17 | 18★ |
Health
8 metrics| Metric | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 🇫🇷 France | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population) | 9.9★ | 6.5 | |
| Health Expenditure (% of GDP) | 2 % of GDP | 3.5 % of GDP★ | |
| HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate | NA | 0.3 % | |
| Hospital Bed Density | 13.2 people/sq km★ | 6 people/sq km | |
| Maternal Mortality Ratio (%) | 67 % | 7 %★ | |
| Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%) | 6.8 %★ | 21.6 % | |
| People Living With HIV/AIDS | NA | 190,000 | |
| Underweight Children Under 5 | 9.3 | NA |
Military and Security
1 metric| Metric | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 🇫🇷 France | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP) | 1.47M★ | 304,000 |
People and Society
26 metrics| Metric | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 🇫🇷 France | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currently married (Percent) | 71.23 %★ | 52.51 % | |
| Life expectancy at birth | 76.14 years | 86.69 years★ | |
| Median age of population | 36.78 years | 42.51 years★ | |
| Population Change | 60,580.4 persons | 62,507.4 persons★ | |
| Population density | 221.44 per sq. km | 121.19 per sq. km★ | |
| Total population | 26.64M persons | 66.75M persons★ | |
| Academic Freedom Index | 0.04 | 0.8★ | |
| Birth Rate (%) | 12.99 %★ | 10.88 % | |
| Contraceptive Prevalence Rate | 70.2 % | NA | |
| Death Rate (%) | 9.01 %★ | 9.91 % | |
| Education Expenditure (% of GDP) | 14.6 % of GDP★ | 5.3 % of GDP | |
| Female population of reproductive age | 6.08M persons | 13.97M persons★ | |
| Labor Force Participation Rate | 17.64 | 31.73★ | |
| Major Urban Areas Population | 3.16 people | 11.21 people★ | |
| Mean Male Height (cm) | 171.99 | 179.74★ | |
| Military Manpower at Military Age | 18 | 18 | |
| Military Service Age and Obligation | 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) | generally 17-30 years of age for both men and women with some variations by service, position, and enlisted versus officer; 17-40 for National Gendarmerie; basic service contract is for 12 months; no conscription (abolished 2001) (2025) note 1: a 10-month | |
| Percentage of population by degree of urbanization | 86.47 %★ | 62.53 % | |
| Physician Density | 3.63 people/sq km★ | 3.28 people/sq km | |
| Population Growth Rate | 0.4 %★ | 0.2 % | |
| Population living in slums | 23.04 %★ | 0 % | |
| Total deaths | 269,232.3 persons★ | 607,731.9 persons | |
| Total demand for family planning (Percent) | 68.61 % | 70.02 %★ | |
| Total fertility rate | 1.76 per woman★ | 1.56 per woman | |
| Total net-migration | -3,031.8 persons | 66,501.8 persons★ | |
| Under-five mortality rate | 16.3 per live births | 3.49 per live births★ |
Transportation
3 metrics| Metric | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 🇫🇷 France | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP) | 0 | 1.35★ | |
| Airports | 81 | 1,218★ | |
| Heliports | 8 | 405★ |