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Population density: France vs South Korea compared

Updated on by Georank team

France has a population density of 330 people per square mile compared to 1,371 people in South Korea. France has 101,089 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. France and South Korea rank 75th and 18th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. France has 0.84% of the world's population and 0.36% 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 France 75.9% lower than in South Korea.

Population density by year

France
South Korea

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
France South Korea
2026 330 1,371
2025 330 1,372
2024 329 1,373
2023 329 1,372
2022 328 1,371
2021 326 1,374
2020 325 1,376
2019 324 1,374
2018 323 1,370
2017 322 1,364
2016 321 1,361
2015 320 1,356
2014 319 1,349
2013 317 1,341
2012 316 1,336
2011 314 1,331
2010 312 1,320
2009 311 1,316
2008 309 1,310
2007 308 1,301
2006 306 1,295
2005 304 1,289
2004 301 1,286
2003 299.1 1,281
2002 297 1,275
2001 294.9 1,268
2000 292.8 1,262
1999 290.7 1,252
1998 289.3 1,243
1997 288.2 1,234
1996 287.2 1,222
1995 286.1 1,211
1994 285.1 1,199
1993 284 1,187
1992 282.8 1,175
1991 281.4 1,163
1990 280 1,151
1989 278.5 1,140
1988 276.8 1,129
1987 275.2 1,118
1986 273.7 1,107
1985 272.3 1,096
1984 271 1,085
1983 269.6 1,072
1982 268.2 1,056
1981 267.2 1,040
1980 265.6 1,024
1979 264.2 1,008
1978 263 993
1977 261.8 978
1976 260.6 963
1975 259.5 947
1974 258.3 932
1973 256.6 916
1972 254.5 900
1971 252.3 883
1970 249.9 866
1969 247.7 847
1968 245.6 828
1967 243.8 809
1966 241.8 790
1965 239.7 771
1964 237.4 751
1963 234.9 732
1962 232.5 712
1961 230.2 692

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/france/south-korea | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in France increased by 8.08%, compared to a 5.84% growth in South Korea.

In 2006, France ranked 67th by population density and is 75th now. South Korea was 14th in 2006 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

France
South Korea
1x
Year Urban population
France South Korea
2024 78.8% 81.2%
2023 78.8% 81.2%
2022 78.8% 81.2%
2021 78.7% 81.2%
2020 78.7% 81.2%
2019 78.7% 81.3%
2018 78.7% 81.4%
2017 78.6% 81.5%
2016 78.6% 81.6%
2015 77.8% 81.6%
2014 77.4% 81.7%
2013 77.2% 81.8%
2012 77.2% 81.9%
2011 77.1% 82%
2010 77.1% 82%
2009 77.1% 81.9%
2008 77.2% 81.8%
2007 77.2% 81.7%
2006 77.3% 81.6%
2005 77.4% 81.4%
2004 77.5% 81.1%
2003 77.5% 80.7%
2002 77.3% 80.3%
2001 76.9% 79.9%
2000 76.5% 79.6%
1999 76.2% 79.4%
1998 75.9% 79.2%
1997 75.6% 79%
1996 75.4% 78.8%
1995 75.1% 78.4%
1994 74.8% 77.9%
1993 74.6% 77.1%
1992 74.4% 76.2%
1991 74.2% 75.2%
1990 74.1% 74%
1989 73.9% 72.5%
1988 73.8% 70.6%
1987 73.7% 68.6%
1986 73.6% 66.6%
1985 73.6% 64.8%
1984 73.5% 63.1%
1983 73.4% 61.5%
1982 73.4% 60%
1981 73.3% 58.3%
1980 73.2% 56.7%
1979 73.2% 54.9%
1978 73.2% 53.1%
1977 73.1% 51.3%
1976 73.1% 49.6%
1975 73% 48%
1974 72.9% 46.5%
1973 72.7% 45.1%
1972 72.3% 43.8%
1971 71.9% 42.3%
1970 71.4% 40.7%
1969 70.8% 38.7%
1968 70.2% 36.5%
1967 69.5% 34.6%
1966 68.4% 33.1%
1965 67.2% 32%
1964 65.9% 31%
1963 64.6% 30.1%
1962 63.5% 29.2%
1961 62.5% 28.4%
1960 61.7% 27.7%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 77.5% to 78.8% in France and from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea.

Densely populated cities

France
City Population
Paris 2.11M
Marseille 886K
Lyon 519K
Toulouse 515K
Nice 358K
Nantes 328K
Montpellier 310K
Strasbourg 294K
Bordeaux 268K
Lille 238K
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/france/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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