Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in North Korea
North Korea: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) was 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2010. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2010)
1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
Change on year
down 75.0%
World rank
160th
of 174 countries
All-time high
1.50 billion SIPRI trend indicator values
in 1971
All-time low
1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
in 2010
Years of data
51
1960–2010
Arms imports in North Korea, 1960–2010
Source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Measured in SIPRI trend indicator values.
Analysis
The most recent figure for arms imports in North Korea is 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, measured in 2010. That is the lowest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is down 75.0% on the previous year and down 98.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arms imports in North Korea peaked at 1.50 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 1971 and was at its lowest, 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, in 2010.
North Korea ranks 160th of 174 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | SIPRI trend indicator values | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 405.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | — |
| 1961 | 69.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -83.0% |
| 1962 | 181.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +162.3% |
| 1963 | 197.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +8.8% |
| 1964 | 168.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -14.7% |
| 1965 | 118.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -29.8% |
| 1966 | 832.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +605.1% |
| 1967 | 846.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +1.7% |
| 1968 | 1.31 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +54.6% |
| 1969 | 609.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -53.4% |
| 1970 | 649.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +6.6% |
| 1971 | 1.50 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +131.4% |
| 1972 | 482.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -67.9% |
| 1973 | 535.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +11.0% |
| 1974 | 793.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +48.2% |
| 1975 | 561.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -29.3% |
| 1976 | 487.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -13.2% |
| 1977 | 297.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -39.0% |
| 1978 | 354.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +19.2% |
| 1979 | 313.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -11.6% |
| 1980 | 487.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +55.6% |
| 1981 | 347.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -28.7% |
| 1982 | 527.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +51.9% |
| 1983 | 339.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -35.7% |
| 1984 | 112.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -67.0% |
| 1985 | 963.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +759.8% |
| 1986 | 1.07 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | +11.6% |
| 1987 | 813.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -24.4% |
| 1988 | 818.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 561.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -31.4% |
| 1990 | 340.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -39.4% |
| 1991 | 251.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -26.2% |
| 1992 | 183.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -27.1% |
| 1993 | 146.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -20.2% |
| 1994 | 79.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -45.9% |
| 1995 | 184.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +132.9% |
| 1996 | 118.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -35.9% |
| 1997 | 54.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -54.2% |
| 1998 | 54.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 54.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 63.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +16.7% |
| 2001 | 73.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +15.9% |
| 2002 | 54.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -26.0% |
| 2003 | 35.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -35.2% |
| 2004 | 8.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -77.1% |
| 2005 | 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -37.5% |
| 2006 | 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 5.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 4.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -20.0% |
| 2010 | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | -75.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 25% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 56.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values, 2% of the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in North Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +759.8% | 112.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 963.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
| 1966 | +605.1% | 118.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 832.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 473.30 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 69.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.31 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1970s | 597.30 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 297.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.50 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1980s | 604.20 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 112.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.07 billion SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 1990s | 146.30 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 54.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 340.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.70 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 4.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 73.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values | 1 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 160 Belize 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 160 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 160 Gambia 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 160 Haiti 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 160 Lesotho 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 160 Montenegro 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values
- 160 Uruguay 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 160 Yemen 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
- 160 Zambia 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values compare
More public sector data for North Korea
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1972)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1972)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.04 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2010)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -75 % change on previous year (2010)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2010)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 61.87 current USD per person (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arms imports in North Korea?
- Arms imports in North Korea was 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2010, according to Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- What is the highest arms imports recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.50 billion SIPRI trend indicator values in 1971.
- What is the lowest arms imports recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values in 2010.
- How does North Korea rank for arms imports?
- North Korea ranks 160th out of 174 countries with data for 2010.
- Is arms imports rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 98.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as part of Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Arms transfers (imports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.