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Population density: Finland vs South Korea compared

Updated on by Georank team

Finland has a population density of 48 people per square mile compared to 1,371 people in South Korea. Finland has 648,293 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. Finland and South Korea rank 175th and 18th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Finland has 0.07% of the world's population and 0.2% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.64% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for South Korea, making the population density in Finland 96.5% lower than in South Korea.

Population density by year

Finland
South Korea

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Finland South Korea
2026 48 1,371
2025 48 1,372
2024 47.9 1,373
2023 47.6 1,372
2022 47.3 1,371
2021 47.2 1,374
2020 47.1 1,376
2019 47.1 1,374
2018 47 1,370
2017 46.9 1,364
2016 46.8 1,361
2015 46.7 1,356
2014 46.5 1,349
2013 46.4 1,341
2012 46.1 1,336
2011 45.9 1,331
2010 45.7 1,320
2009 45.5 1,316
2008 45.3 1,310
2007 45 1,301
2006 44.9 1,295
2005 44.6 1,289
2004 44.5 1,286
2003 44.3 1,281
2002 44.2 1,275
2001 44.1 1,268
2000 44 1,262
1999 43.9 1,252
1998 43.8 1,243
1997 43.7 1,234
1996 43.6 1,222
1995 43.4 1,211
1994 43.3 1,199
1993 43.1 1,187
1992 42.9 1,175
1991 42.6 1,163
1990 42.4 1,151
1989 42.2 1,140
1988 42.1 1,129
1987 41.9 1,118
1986 41.8 1,107
1985 41.7 1,096
1984 41.5 1,085
1983 41.3 1,072
1982 41 1,056
1981 40.8 1,040
1980 40.6 1,024
1979 40.5 1,008
1978 40.4 993
1977 40.3 978
1976 40.2 963
1975 40.1 947
1974 39.9 932
1973 39.7 916
1972 39.5 900
1971 39.2 883
1970 39.2 866
1969 39.3 847
1968 39.3 828
1967 39.2 809
1966 39 790
1965 38.8 771
1964 38.7 751
1963 38.5 732
1962 38.2 712
1961 37.9 692

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/finland/south-korea | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Finland increased by 7%, compared to a 5.84% growth in South Korea.

In 2006, Finland ranked 163rd by population density and is 175th now. South Korea was 14th in 2006 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Finland
South Korea
1x
Year Urban population
Finland South Korea
2024 74.3% 81.2%
2023 74% 81.2%
2022 73.7% 81.2%
2021 73.4% 81.2%
2020 73.1% 81.2%
2019 72.7% 81.3%
2018 72.3% 81.4%
2017 72% 81.5%
2016 71.6% 81.6%
2015 71.3% 81.6%
2014 71% 81.7%
2013 70.7% 81.8%
2012 70.4% 81.9%
2011 70.1% 82%
2010 69.8% 82%
2009 69.5% 81.9%
2008 69.3% 81.8%
2007 69% 81.7%
2006 68.8% 81.6%
2005 68.5% 81.4%
2004 68.3% 81.1%
2003 68% 80.7%
2002 67.8% 80.3%
2001 67.5% 79.9%
2000 67.1% 79.6%
1999 66.7% 79.4%
1998 66.2% 79.2%
1997 65.7% 79%
1996 65.2% 78.8%
1995 64.8% 78.4%
1994 64.5% 77.9%
1993 64.3% 77.1%
1992 64.1% 76.2%
1991 64% 75.2%
1990 63.9% 74%
1989 63.8% 72.5%
1988 63.8% 70.6%
1987 63.7% 68.6%
1986 63.6% 66.6%
1985 63.5% 64.8%
1984 63.4% 63.1%
1983 63.3% 61.5%
1982 63.2% 60%
1981 63.2% 58.3%
1980 63.1% 56.7%
1979 63% 54.9%
1978 62.9% 53.1%
1977 62.8% 51.3%
1976 62.6% 49.6%
1975 62.4% 48%
1974 62.1% 46.5%
1973 61.6% 45.1%
1972 61.1% 43.8%
1971 60.7% 42.3%
1970 60.3% 40.7%
1969 59.9% 38.7%
1968 59.5% 36.5%
1967 59.1% 34.6%
1966 58.7% 33.1%
1965 58.3% 32%
1964 57.9% 31%
1963 57.4% 30.1%
1962 56.8% 29.2%
1961 56.3% 28.4%
1960 55.6% 27.7%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/finland/south-korea | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 68.3% to 74.3% in Finland and from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea.

Densely populated cities

Finland
City Population
Helsinki 687K
Espoo 315K
Tampere 255K
Vantaa 248K
Oulu 215K
Turku 206K
Jyvaskyla 148K
Kuopio 124K
Lahti 121K
Pori 83.2K
South Korea
City Population
Seoul 9.67M
Busan 3.45M
Incheon 3.05M
Daegu 2.38M
Daejeon 1.48M
Gwangju 1.41M
Suwon 1.23M
Ulsan 1.13M
Yongin 1.08M
Goyang 1.06M

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/finland/south-korea | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2018–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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