North Korea at its true size

North Korea covers 120,540 km², number 99 of 235 by area. Home to 26,571,036 people (2025). A Mercator map draws it about 1.71× too large.

Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
Area120,540 km² Wikidata
Population26,571,036 World Bank, 2025
Density220 per km²
CapitalPyongyang
RegionEastern Asia, Asia
StatusIndependent state
CoastHas a coastline
CodesKP · PRK · 408

Countries of a similar size

How many times does North Korea fit into…

Neighbours

Questions about North Korea

How big is North Korea?
North Korea covers 120,540 km², which makes it number 99 of 235 countries and territories by area. About 26,571,036 people live there (2025), 220 per km².
Is North Korea bigger than Nicaragua?
North Korea and Nicaragua are almost exactly the same size. North Korea: 120,540 km²; Nicaragua: 120,340 km².
How much does the Mercator map distort North Korea?
At about 40° latitude, Mercator stretches North Korea to roughly 1.71× its true area relative to a country on the equator. Kartavera draws it in the Equal Earth projection, where areas are exact.
Which countries border North Korea?
North Korea shares a land border with Russia, China, South Korea.