- North Korea has roughly 10 thousand internet users (10,000 people) — about 0% of the population and rank #217 globally.
- The apps people open most: WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, Instagram. They cover Messaging, Social, Video, Shopping, Tools and more.
- The one to know first: WhatsApp — The most widely used messenger on earth.
North Korea in numbers
2025–2026- Internet users
- 10 thousand10,000 · #217
- Penetration
- 0.0%#220
- Population
- 26 million26,000,000 · #56
- GDP
- $28B#114
- GDP growth
- +3.1%#118
- GDP per person
- $1,077#196
- Land area
- 120.5k km²#98
- Capital
- Pyongyang
- Region
- Asia
- Official languages
- Korean
How North Korea goes online
Ordinary residents in Pyongyang cannot reach the open internet; phones connect to a domestic network instead, and what appears on screen is largely limited to internal sites and services. Near the border, Chinese signals sometimes come through, and video and files travel on USB sticks and memory cards carried in from outside. That is how news from beyond arrives, slowly and second-hand. Clips pass from hand to hand, and whoever has watched one often retells it out loud. Phones are used mainly for contact and for business.
Around 0%. With a population of about 26 million and 10 thousand online, roughly 26 million people are still offline — mostly because of rural coverage, device cost and age.
All 9 apps below are grouped by category.
What people actually use
9 Most-used appsWebsites people in North Korea actually use
5The 5 sites locals open most often — news, shopping, search, banking and government services. Every link goes to the official site.
Nearby and similar markets
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Frequently asked questions
6 Q&AHow many people in North Korea are online?
About 10 thousand (10,000 people). That works out to roughly 0% of the population, which puts North Korea at #217 in the world for total internet users. Figures come from DataReportal’s Digital 2026, which draws on ITU and national statistics.
Which apps do people in North Korea use most?
Mostly WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, Instagram — they cover Messaging, Social, Video, Shopping, Tools. The full list, grouped by category, is further down this page.
What is the leading Messaging app in North Korea?
WhatsApp, Messenger dominate this space. The best-known is WhatsApp — The most widely used messenger on earth.
How high is internet penetration in North Korea?
Around 0%. With a population of about 26 million and 10 thousand online, roughly 26 million people are still offline — mostly because of rural coverage, device cost and age.
Where do these app facts come from?
Usage figures come from DataReportal’s Digital 2026 (Kepios, based on ITU and national statistics); app details come from each product’s official site. Updated 2026-11-12.
Which websites are most popular in North Korea?
The everyday ones are Korean Central News Agency, Naenara, Rodong Sinmun, plus the other 5 sites listed above. They cover news, shopping, search, banking and official paperwork, and every link points to the official site.
Sources
Updated 2026-11-12- DataReportal — Digital 2026
- ITU — Statistics
- Official product sites
World Sites & Apps. “North Korea: internet and everyday apps”. 2026. https://abcvv.com/c/kp-en.html