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Population density: Latvia vs South Korea compared

Updated on by Georank team

Latvia has a population density of 76.2 people per square mile compared to 1,371 people in South Korea. Latvia has 372,581 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. Latvia and South Korea rank 158th and 18th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Latvia has 0.02% of the world's population and 0.04% 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 Latvia 94.4% lower than in South Korea.

Population density by year

Latvia
South Korea

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Latvia South Korea
2026 76.2 1,371
2025 77 1,372
2024 77.7 1,373
2023 78.4 1,372
2022 78.2 1,371
2021 78.4 1,374
2020 79.1 1,376
2019 79.7 1,374
2018 80.2 1,370
2017 80.8 1,364
2016 81.6 1,361
2015 82.3 1,356
2014 83 1,349
2013 83.8 1,341
2012 84.7 1,336
2011 85.7 1,331
2010 87.3 1,320
2009 89.1 1,316
2008 90.6 1,310
2007 91.6 1,301
2006 92.3 1,295
2005 93.2 1,289
2004 94.2 1,286
2003 95.2 1,281
2002 96.2 1,275
2001 97.3 1,268
2000 98.5 1,262
1999 99.5 1,252
1998 100.3 1,243
1997 101.3 1,234
1996 102.3 1,222
1995 103.4 1,211
1994 104.9 1,199
1993 106.7 1,187
1992 108.8 1,175
1991 - 1,163
1990 - 1,151
1989 - 1,140
1988 - 1,129
1987 - 1,118
1986 - 1,107
1985 - 1,096
1984 - 1,085
1983 - 1,072
1982 - 1,056
1981 - 1,040
1980 - 1,024
1979 - 1,008
1978 - 993
1977 - 978
1976 - 963
1975 - 947
1974 - 932
1973 - 916
1972 - 900
1971 - 883
1970 - 866
1969 - 847
1968 - 828
1967 - 809
1966 - 790
1965 - 771
1964 - 751
1963 - 732
1962 - 712
1961 - 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/latvia/south-korea | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Latvia decreased by 17.5%, compared to a 5.84% growth in South Korea.

In 2006, Latvia ranked 141st by population density and is 158th now. South Korea was 14th in 2006 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Latvia
South Korea
1x
Year Urban population
Latvia South Korea
2024 68.5% 81.2%
2023 68.4% 81.2%
2022 68.3% 81.2%
2021 68.2% 81.2%
2020 68.1% 81.2%
2019 68.1% 81.3%
2018 68% 81.4%
2017 68% 81.5%
2016 67.9% 81.6%
2015 67.9% 81.6%
2014 67.9% 81.7%
2013 67.8% 81.8%
2012 67.8% 81.9%
2011 67.8% 82%
2010 67.8% 82%
2009 67.8% 81.9%
2008 67.8% 81.8%
2007 67.9% 81.7%
2006 67.9% 81.6%
2005 67.9% 81.4%
2004 67.9% 81.1%
2003 67.9% 80.7%
2002 68% 80.3%
2001 68% 79.9%
2000 68.1% 79.6%
1999 68.1% 79.4%
1998 68.3% 79.2%
1997 68.5% 79%
1996 68.8% 78.8%
1995 69.2% 78.4%
1994 69.6% 77.9%
1993 69.9% 77.1%
1992 70.2% 76.2%
1991 70.5% 75.2%
1990 70.7% 74%
1989 70.8% 72.5%
1988 70.8% 70.6%
1987 70.7% 68.6%
1986 70.5% 66.6%
1985 70.3% 64.8%
1984 70% 63.1%
1983 69.6% 61.5%
1982 69.2% 60%
1981 68.8% 58.3%
1980 68.4% 56.7%
1979 68% 54.9%
1978 67.6% 53.1%
1977 67.1% 51.3%
1976 66.5% 49.6%
1975 65.9% 48%
1974 65.3% 46.5%
1973 64.7% 45.1%
1972 64% 43.8%
1971 63.4% 42.3%
1970 62.7% 40.7%
1969 62.1% 38.7%
1968 61.6% 36.5%
1967 61% 34.6%
1966 60.5% 33.1%
1965 60% 32%
1964 59.4% 31%
1963 58.9% 30.1%
1962 58.3% 29.2%
1961 57.7% 28.4%
1960 57.1% 27.7%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 67.9% to 68.5% in Latvia and from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea.

Densely populated cities

Latvia
City Population
Riga 595K
Daugavpils 78.1K
Liepaja 67.4K
Jelgava 54.8K
Jurmala 52K
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/latvia/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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2018–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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