Iran has a population density of 148.9 people per square mile compared to 1,371 people in South Korea. Iran has 193,748 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. Iran and South Korea rank 134th and 18th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Iran has 1.13% of the world's population and 1.09% 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 Iran 89.1% lower than in South Korea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Iran
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2026 | 148.9 | 1,371 |
| 2025 | 147.6 | 1,372 |
| 2024 | 146.2 | 1,373 |
| 2023 | 144.6 | 1,372 |
| 2022 | 142.9 | 1,371 |
| 2021 | 141.2 | 1,374 |
| 2020 | 140 | 1,376 |
| 2019 | 139 | 1,374 |
| 2018 | 137.5 | 1,370 |
| 2017 | 135.7 | 1,364 |
| 2016 | 133.3 | 1,361 |
| 2015 | 131.4 | 1,356 |
| 2014 | 129.6 | 1,349 |
| 2013 | 127.9 | 1,341 |
| 2012 | 126.2 | 1,336 |
| 2011 | 124.6 | 1,331 |
| 2010 | 123.1 | 1,320 |
| 2009 | 121.6 | 1,316 |
| 2008 | 120.1 | 1,310 |
| 2007 | 118.6 | 1,301 |
| 2006 | 116.7 | 1,295 |
| 2005 | 114.2 | 1,289 |
| 2004 | 111.7 | 1,286 |
| 2003 | 109.4 | 1,281 |
| 2002 | 108.1 | 1,275 |
| 2001 | 107.3 | 1,268 |
| 2000 | 105.6 | 1,262 |
| 1999 | 104.1 | 1,252 |
| 1998 | 102.6 | 1,243 |
| 1997 | 101.2 | 1,234 |
| 1996 | 100 | 1,222 |
| 1995 | 98.9 | 1,211 |
| 1994 | 97.8 | 1,199 |
| 1993 | 97.6 | 1,187 |
| 1992 | 97.3 | 1,175 |
| 1991 | 95.4 | 1,163 |
| 1990 | 92.8 | 1,151 |
| 1989 | 90.2 | 1,140 |
| 1988 | 87.6 | 1,129 |
| 1987 | 84.8 | 1,118 |
| 1986 | 81.8 | 1,107 |
| 1985 | 78.8 | 1,096 |
| 1984 | 76 | 1,085 |
| 1983 | 73.2 | 1,072 |
| 1982 | 70.4 | 1,056 |
| 1981 | 66.8 | 1,040 |
| 1980 | 63.4 | 1,024 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 1,008 |
| 1978 | 59 | 993 |
| 1977 | 57.1 | 978 |
| 1976 | 55.4 | 963 |
| 1975 | 53.8 | 947 |
| 1974 | 52.2 | 932 |
| 1973 | 50.6 | 916 |
| 1972 | 49.2 | 900 |
| 1971 | 47.8 | 883 |
| 1970 | 46.3 | 866 |
| 1969 | 45 | 847 |
| 1968 | 43.6 | 828 |
| 1967 | 42.3 | 809 |
| 1966 | 41.1 | 790 |
| 1965 | 39.8 | 771 |
| 1964 | 38.6 | 751 |
| 1963 | 37.4 | 732 |
| 1962 | 36.3 | 712 |
| 1961 | 35.2 | 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/iran/south-korea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Iran increased by 27.6%, compared to a 5.84% growth in South Korea.
In 2006, Iran ranked 130th by population density and is 134th now. South Korea was 14th in 2006 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Iran
|
South Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 148.9 ppl/mi² | 1,371 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 134/197 | 18/197 |
| Population |
93468444
|
51649918
|
| Land area | 626,451 sq mi | 37,684 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 190,727 sq ft | 20,300 sq ft |
| Rural population | 23% | 18.8% |
| Urban population | 77% | 81.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 22.2% | 54.1% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iran
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 77% | 81.2% |
| 2023 | 76.7% | 81.2% |
| 2022 | 76.3% | 81.2% |
| 2021 | 76% | 81.2% |
| 2020 | 75.6% | 81.2% |
| 2019 | 75.2% | 81.3% |
| 2018 | 74.8% | 81.4% |
| 2017 | 74.4% | 81.5% |
| 2016 | 73.9% | 81.6% |
| 2015 | 73.4% | 81.6% |
| 2014 | 72.8% | 81.7% |
| 2013 | 72.3% | 81.8% |
| 2012 | 71.8% | 81.9% |
| 2011 | 71.2% | 82% |
| 2010 | 70.6% | 82% |
| 2009 | 70% | 81.9% |
| 2008 | 69.4% | 81.8% |
| 2007 | 68.8% | 81.7% |
| 2006 | 68.3% | 81.6% |
| 2005 | 67.9% | 81.4% |
| 2004 | 67.3% | 81.1% |
| 2003 | 66.6% | 80.7% |
| 2002 | 65.9% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 65.2% | 79.9% |
| 2000 | 64.5% | 79.6% |
| 1999 | 63.7% | 79.4% |
| 1998 | 62.9% | 79.2% |
| 1997 | 62.1% | 79% |
| 1996 | 61.1% | 78.8% |
| 1995 | 60.4% | 78.4% |
| 1994 | 59.6% | 77.9% |
| 1993 | 58.7% | 77.1% |
| 1992 | 57.9% | 76.2% |
| 1991 | 56.9% | 75.2% |
| 1990 | 56.5% | 74% |
| 1989 | 55.9% | 72.5% |
| 1988 | 55.4% | 70.6% |
| 1987 | 54.8% | 68.6% |
| 1986 | 54.2% | 66.6% |
| 1985 | 53.6% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 52.8% | 63.1% |
| 1983 | 52.1% | 61.5% |
| 1982 | 51.4% | 60% |
| 1981 | 50.7% | 58.3% |
| 1980 | 49.9% | 56.7% |
| 1979 | 49.2% | 54.9% |
| 1978 | 48.5% | 53.1% |
| 1977 | 47.8% | 51.3% |
| 1976 | 46.8% | 49.6% |
| 1975 | 46.1% | 48% |
| 1974 | 45.2% | 46.5% |
| 1973 | 44.3% | 45.1% |
| 1972 | 43.3% | 43.8% |
| 1971 | 42.4% | 42.3% |
| 1970 | 41.5% | 40.7% |
| 1969 | 40.6% | 38.7% |
| 1968 | 39.7% | 36.5% |
| 1967 | 38.9% | 34.6% |
| 1966 | 37.7% | 33.1% |
| 1965 | 37.1% | 32% |
| 1964 | 36.6% | 31% |
| 1963 | 35.9% | 30.1% |
| 1962 | 35.3% | 29.2% |
| 1961 | 34.6% | 28.4% |
| 1960 | 34% | 27.7% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/iran/south-korea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 67.3% to 77% in Iran and from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea.
Densely populated cities
|
Iran
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Tehran | 8.69M |
| Mashhad | 3M |
| Isfahan | 1.96M |
| Karaj | 1.59M |
| Shiraz | 1.57M |
| Tabriz | 1.56M |
| Qom | 1.2M |
| Ahvaz | 1.18M |
| Kermanshah | 947K |
| Urmia | 736K |
|
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
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/iran/south-korea | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
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)
- Wikidata (2016–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.