Largest Cities by Population in North Korea

These figures are from the 2008 census, 18 years old.

31 cities in North Korea, ranked by population at the census of October 1, 2008 (by Central Bureau of Statistics, DPR Korea).

Rank	City	Native Name	Population
1	Pyongyang (P'yŏngyang)	평양시	2,521,785
2	Hamhungincl. Hŭngnam	함흥시	703,610
3	Ch'ongjin	청진시	614,892
4	Sinuiju	신의주시	334,031
5	Wonsan	원산시	328,467
6	Namp'o	남포시	310,531
7	Sariwon	사리원시	271,434
8	Kaech'on	개천시	262,389
9	Kanggye	강계시	251,971
10	Sunch'on	순천시	250,738
11	Haeju	해주시	241,599
12	Tanch'on	단천시	240,873
13	P'yongsong	평성시	236,583
14	Tokch'on	덕천시	210,571
15	Kaesong	개성시	192,578
16	Hyesan	혜산시	174,015
17	Anju	안주시	167,646
18	Rason	라선시	158,337
19	Kimch'aek (Sŏngjin)	김책시	155,284
20	Kusong	구성시	155,181
21	Huich'on	희천시	136,093
22	Sinp'o	신포시	130,951
23	Kangso	강서구역	119,848
24	Chongju	정주시	102,659
25	Ch'ollima	천리마구역	102,436
26	Songrim	송림시	95,878
27	Munch'on	문천시	92,525
28	Hoeryong	회경시	92,494
29	Manp'o	만포시	82,631
30	Taean	대안구역	66,261
31	Samjiyon	삼지연시	25,558

Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, DPR Korea (2008 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.

Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.Show moreShow less

Tokyo

33,338,852

Urban area

9,953,160

23 wards

Essen

2,709,375

Urban area

573,618

City of Essen

Ankara

3,630,865

Urban area

5,186,002

Metropolitan municipality

What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.

Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.

104 urban areas in North Korea with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.

Rank	Urban Area	Population Estimate (2026)	Yearly Change	Land Area (km²)	Density (P/km²)	World Rank	Projections (2030)	Projections (2050)
1	P'yŏngyang (Pyongyang)	2,903,840	+0.08%	225	12,929	174	2,912,848	2,838,238
2	Chŏngjin	691,046	+0.09%	68	10,162	784	693,594	684,118
3	Hamhung	412,123	−0.04%	37	11,138	1,381	411,508	398,619
4	Sariwon	405,258	+0.14%	24	16,886	1,416	407,603	411,107
5	Wonsan	373,483	−0.03%	34	10,985	1,543	373,031	365,747
6	Jakdo-dong	363,035	−0.01%	46	7,892	1,589	362,889	352,333
7	Pyŏngsŏng	340,718	+0.10%	41	8,310	1,703	342,108	338,730
8	Kanggye	310,760	+0.11%	28	11,099	1,871	312,073	304,581
9	Kaesong	285,588	+0.20%	16	17,849	2,059	287,909	289,772
10	Songnim	281,450	+0.34%	24	11,727	2,082	285,296	289,385
11	Hyesan	271,287	+0.06%	25	10,851	2,178	271,970	268,093
12	Sinuiju	267,127	−0.03%	18	14,840	2,205	266,761	260,444
13	Haeju	266,695	+0.19%	31	8,603	2,208	268,674	271,422
14	Kaechon	209,741	+0.11%	14	14,982	2,875	210,674	206,394
15	Kimch'aek	203,313	+0.53%	26	7,701	2,974	207,619	205,372
16	Jongju	197,918	+0.14%	12	16,493	3,066	198,987	197,841
17	Tokchon	181,897	+0.28%	20	9,005	3,355	183,939	179,908
18	Nampo	170,775	+0.05%	26	6,568	3,595	171,142	166,419
19	강서구역	147,166	+0.08%	13	11,320	4,188	147,621	143,775
20	Huichon	144,820	+0.28%	8.20	17,661	4,264	146,415	142,657
21	천리마구역	143,583	+0.09%	12	11,579	4,293	144,093	141,331
22	Sonchon	137,614	+0.10%	7.00	19,659	4,473	138,148	135,208
23	Rason	133,562	+0.27%	22	6,016	4,620	135,023	133,677
24	Sunchon	132,527	+0.09%	20	6,626	4,658	132,989	129,564
25	길주읍	131,171	+0.10%	14	9,369	4,721	131,693	130,438
26	Sinchon	129,760	+0.21%	7.00	18,537	4,767	130,854	131,712
27	Ryongchon	128,933	+0.15%	11	11,721	4,809	129,684	127,192
28	해안2동	127,931	+0.09%	21	6,092	4,839	128,417	130,463
29	Sukchon	127,296	+0.09%	7.00	18,185	4,858	127,771	124,775
30	Kusong	120,617	+0.14%	12	10,051	5,160	121,296	119,000
31	Munchon	119,746	+0.01%	25	4,790	5,195	119,788	116,177
32	Sinanju	115,446	+0.06%	7.00	16,492	5,403	115,738	112,948
33	Sinpho	115,233	−0.02%	23	5,010	5,419	115,120	112,911
34	Hamju	113,532	−0.02%	6.00	18,922	5,503	113,450	110,100
35	홍원읍	112,835	−0.02%	22	5,129	5,538	112,729	109,285
36	Anju	112,698	+0.09%	9.00	12,522	5,545	113,120	112,039
37	Kowon	112,273	−0.03%	7.00	16,039	5,564	112,135	108,726
38	Tongrim	111,123	+0.06%	7.00	15,875	5,616	111,377	108,641
39	Paechon	111,068	+0.24%	5.00	22,214	5,619	112,154	113,278
40	Jongphyong	109,344	0.00%	6.00	18,224	5,725	109,329	106,433
41	Musan	108,126	+0.50%	17	6,286	5,779	110,270	110,327
42	Anak	107,313	+0.21%	6.00	17,885	5,827	108,223	108,888
43	Jaeryong	105,981	+0.26%	11	9,635	5,902	107,066	108,064
44	Manpo	103,988	+0.04%	12	8,666	6,024	104,137	99,288
45	Phyongwon	103,012	+0.12%	8.00	12,877	6,080	103,497	103,991
46	락원1동	101,746	+0.08%	12	8,479	6,143	102,080	99,386
47	Phyongsan	100,885	+0.58%	11	9,008	6,198	103,226	104,378
48	Chongdan	99,914	+0.26%	6.00	16,652	6,260	100,947	101,946
49	Koksan	97,801	+0.29%	4.00	24,450	6,398	98,929	100,198
50	Kangdong	96,161	+0.12%	12	8,013	6,496	96,630	94,368
51	Chongnam	95,996	+0.12%	11	8,727	6,503	96,447	94,508
52	Kumya	95,054	−0.01%	6.00	15,842	6,575	95,009	92,304
53	Pukchang	94,998	+0.09%	15	6,333	6,577	95,345	92,828
54	Unjon	94,886	+0.13%	6.00	15,814	6,589	95,393	93,529
55	Kwaksan	92,353	+0.11%	6.00	15,392	6,792	92,777	90,883
56	남흥동	92,227	+0.43%	16	5,693	6,800	93,817	91,329
57	Hoeryong	87,976	+0.55%	10	8,625	7,153	89,922	88,974
58	북청읍	86,521	−0.03%	7.00	12,360	7,279	86,401	83,502
59	Yonan	86,085	+0.34%	9.00	9,565	7,316	87,243	88,761
60	Taean	85,230	+0.15%	14	6,088	7,402	85,737	84,129
61	Kosan	82,869	−0.03%	7.00	11,838	7,624	82,779	80,162
62	Tanchon	82,760	+0.05%	7.00	11,823	7,639	82,920	81,710
63	Kyonghung	82,534	+0.16%	8.00	10,317	7,667	83,065	81,982
64	Taechon	80,078	+0.14%	8.00	10,010	7,887	80,512	78,903
65	Unsan	80,013	+0.10%	6.00	13,335	7,898	80,332	78,492
66	Onchon	77,280	+0.10%	6.00	12,880	8,183	77,587	75,737
67	Hoechang	76,493	+0.96%	7.40	10,337	8,249	79,431	73,606
68	Chonnae	76,301	−0.05%	8.00	9,538	8,265	76,158	72,952
69	고산리	76,208	+0.09%	9.00	8,468	8,279	76,491	74,673
70	Sinwon	76,105	+0.29%	10	7,611	8,289	76,990	77,881
71	Yomju	72,559	+0.09%	4.00	18,140	8,674	72,833	71,137
72	Ryongampho-rodongjagu	72,284	+0.19%	15	4,819	8,702	72,829	71,555
73	천성로동자구	72,210	+0.04%	9.00	8,023	8,710	72,325	69,068
74	전평동	71,397	+0.06%	5.00	14,279	8,799	71,576	69,241
75	백운동	70,095	+0.17%	6.00	11,682	8,957	70,561	69,158
76	Pyoksong	69,956	+0.29%	6.00	11,659	8,974	70,760	71,659
77	Sohung	69,774	+0.26%	6.00	11,629	8,996	70,500	71,170
78	Dong-an	68,180	+0.56%	6.20	10,997	9,204	69,718	68,364
79	Ongjin	68,144	+0.26%	6.00	11,357	9,207	68,851	71,038
80	Jangyon	67,150	+0.27%	4.00	16,788	9,351	67,876	68,633
81	Sakju	64,219	+0.08%	4.00	16,055	9,782	64,431	62,779
82	Onsong	64,134	+0.23%	7.00	9,162	9,796	64,712	64,154
83	Sinhung	64,053	0.00%	12	5,338	9,806	64,048	60,151
84	T'aet'an-eup	63,237	+0.30%	5.00	12,647	9,936	63,986	64,538
85	Kwail	62,854	+0.27%	6.00	10,476	9,999	63,522	64,196
86	Unpha	62,825	+0.29%	4.00	15,706	10,003	63,548	64,347
87	재동로동자구	61,692	+0.08%	5.00	12,338	10,177	61,890	60,010
88	영광읍	61,228	−0.03%	4.00	15,307	10,247	61,159	59,134
89	Buheung-dong	61,176	+0.06%	12	5,098	10,258	61,330	59,425
90	Kyongsong	59,250	+0.14%	7.00	8,464	10,554	59,581	58,615
91	Unryul	59,206	+0.27%	5.00	11,841	10,563	59,840	60,446
92	Taeryonggang	58,828	+0.13%	7.00	8,404	10,625	59,143	57,833
93	Kujang	58,804	+0.60%	5.20	11,309	10,629	60,225	58,621
94	Samchon	58,574	+0.28%	4.00	14,643	10,658	59,240	59,916
95	Suan	57,899	+0.82%	7.20	8,041	10,767	59,805	60,600
96	Pongchon	57,860	+0.30%	5.00	11,572	10,773	58,559	59,224
97	구봉로동자구	57,671	+0.10%	7.00	8,239	10,814	57,905	56,171
98	Mundok	57,512	+0.13%	7.00	8,216	10,839	57,802	56,594
99	허천읍	54,855	+0.10%	11	4,987	11,349	55,070	–
100	옹진로동자구	54,338	+0.24%	5.00	10,868	11,459	54,851	55,256
101	Unchon	54,019	+0.23%	4.00	13,505	11,529	54,525	54,542
102	Hyangsan	53,911	+0.07%	4.00	13,478	11,552	54,061	52,501
103	룡등로동자구	50,861	+0.07%	6.00	8,477	12,041	51,007	–
104	Singye	50,533	+0.28%	5.00	10,107	12,068	51,094	51,689

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.

Data topics

Reference

Tools

Largest Cities by Population in North Korea

See also