Skip to content

Population density: Marshall Islands vs South Korea compared

Updated on by Georank team

The Marshall Islands has a population density of 504 people per square mile compared to 1,371 people in South Korea. The Marshall Islands has 52,011 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. The Marshall Islands and South Korea rank 56th and 18th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. The Marshall Islands has 0.0005% of the world's population and 0.0001% 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 the Marshall Islands 63.2% lower than in South Korea.

Population density by year

Marshall Islands
South Korea

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Marshall Islands South Korea
2026 504 1,371
2025 522 1,372
2024 540 1,373
2023 559 1,372
2022 577 1,371
2021 595 1,374
2020 614 1,376
2019 633 1,374
2018 652 1,370
2017 669 1,364
2016 686 1,361
2015 702 1,356
2014 717 1,349
2013 729 1,341
2012 740 1,336
2011 747 1,331
2010 749 1,320
2009 748 1,316
2008 749 1,310
2007 749 1,301
2006 748 1,295
2005 747 1,289
2004 745 1,286
2003 743 1,281
2002 740 1,275
2001 736 1,268
2000 730 1,262
1999 722 1,252
1998 715 1,243
1997 709 1,234
1996 702 1,222
1995 694 1,211
1994 687 1,199
1993 678 1,187
1992 667 1,175
1991 656 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/marshall-islands/south-korea | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Marshall Islands decreased by 32.6%, compared to a 5.84% growth in South Korea.

In 2006, the Marshall Islands ranked 30th by population density and is 56th now. South Korea was 14th in 2006 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Marshall Islands
South Korea
1x
Year Urban population
Marshall Islands South Korea
2024 78.7% 81.2%
2023 78.4% 81.2%
2022 78% 81.2%
2021 77.6% 81.2%
2020 77.3% 81.2%
2019 76.9% 81.3%
2018 76.6% 81.4%
2017 76.2% 81.5%
2016 75.9% 81.6%
2015 75.5% 81.6%
2014 75.1% 81.7%
2013 74.7% 81.8%
2012 74.3% 81.9%
2011 73.9% 82%
2010 73.4% 82%
2009 72.9% 81.9%
2008 72.4% 81.8%
2007 71.8% 81.7%
2006 71.2% 81.6%
2005 70.6% 81.4%
2004 70.1% 81.1%
2003 69.5% 80.7%
2002 69% 80.3%
2001 68.6% 79.9%
2000 68.3% 79.6%
1999 68% 79.4%
1998 67.9% 79.2%
1997 67.7% 79%
1996 67.6% 78.8%
1995 67.5% 78.4%
1994 67.5% 77.9%
1993 67.4% 77.1%
1992 67.3% 76.2%
1991 67.2% 75.2%
1990 67.1% 74%
1989 66.9% 72.5%
1988 66.7% 70.6%
1987 66.1% 68.6%
1986 65.1% 66.6%
1985 64% 64.8%
1984 62.8% 63.1%
1983 61.6% 61.5%
1982 60.6% 60%
1981 59.9% 58.3%
1980 59.7% 56.7%
1979 59.8% 54.9%
1978 60.1% 53.1%
1977 60.5% 51.3%
1976 60.9% 49.6%
1975 61.2% 48%
1974 61.5% 46.5%
1973 61.3% 45.1%
1972 59.9% 43.8%
1971 57.4% 42.3%
1970 54.3% 40.7%
1969 51% 38.7%
1968 47.9% 36.5%
1967 45.6% 34.6%
1966 43.8% 33.1%
1965 42.1% 32%
1964 40.4% 31%
1963 38.8% 30.1%
1962 37.4% 29.2%
1961 36% 28.4%
1960 34.8% 27.7%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 70.1% to 78.7% in the Marshall Islands and from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea.

Densely populated cities

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/marshall-islands/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:

  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)

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.