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Population density: Singapore vs South Korea compared

Updated on by Georank team

Singapore has a population density of 22,064 people per square mile compared to 1,371 people in South Korea. Singapore has 1,282 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. Singapore and South Korea rank 2nd and 18th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Singapore has 0.07% of the world's population and 0.0005% 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 Singapore 1,510% higher than in South Korea.

Population density by year

Singapore
South Korea

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Singapore South Korea
2026 22,064 1,371
2025 21,926 1,372
2024 21,776 1,373
2023 21,346 1,372
2022 20,334 1,371
2021 19,672 1,374
2020 20,510 1,376
2019 20,632 1,374
2018 20,454 1,370
2017 20,415 1,364
2016 20,483 1,361
2015 20,219 1,356
2014 19,981 1,349
2013 19,779 1,341
2012 19,489 1,336
2011 19,071 1,331
2010 18,730 1,320
2009 18,454 1,316
2008 17,906 1,310
2007 17,100 1,301
2006 16,426 1,295
2005 16,035 1,289
2004 15,663 1,286
2003 15,513 1,281
2002 16,023 1,275
2001 15,996 1,268
2000 15,570 1,262
1999 15,303 1,252
1998 15,181 1,243
1997 14,674 1,234
1996 14,190 1,222
1995 13,625 1,211
1994 13,217 1,199
1993 12,809 1,187
1992 12,489 1,175
1991 12,119 1,163
1990 11,779 1,151
1989 11,330 1,140
1988 11,002 1,129
1987 10,726 1,118
1986 10,566 1,107
1985 10,576 1,096
1984 10,562 1,085
1983 10,364 1,072
1982 10,230 1,056
1981 9,791 1,040
1980 9,331 1,024
1979 9,214 1,008
1978 9,098 993
1977 8,989 978
1976 8,865 963
1975 8,746 947
1974 8,620 932
1973 8,477 916
1972 8,320 900
1971 8,168 883
1970 8,019 866
1969 7,896 847
1968 7,778 828
1967 7,645 809
1966 7,478 790
1965 7,294 771
1964 7,119 751
1963 6,939 732
1962 6,766 712
1961 6,581 692

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/singapore/south-korea | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Singapore increased by 34.3%, compared to a 5.84% growth in South Korea.

In 2006, Singapore ranked 2nd by population density and is 2nd still. South Korea was 14th in 2006 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Singapore
South Korea
1x
Year Urban population
Singapore South Korea
2024 100% 81.2%
2023 100% 81.2%
2022 100% 81.2%
2021 100% 81.2%
2020 100% 81.2%
2019 100% 81.3%
2018 100% 81.4%
2017 100% 81.5%
2016 100% 81.6%
2015 100% 81.6%
2014 100% 81.7%
2013 100% 81.8%
2012 100% 81.9%
2011 100% 82%
2010 100% 82%
2009 100% 81.9%
2008 100% 81.8%
2007 100% 81.7%
2006 100% 81.6%
2005 100% 81.4%
2004 100% 81.1%
2003 100% 80.7%
2002 100% 80.3%
2001 100% 79.9%
2000 100% 79.6%
1999 100% 79.4%
1998 100% 79.2%
1997 100% 79%
1996 100% 78.8%
1995 100% 78.4%
1994 100% 77.9%
1993 100% 77.1%
1992 100% 76.2%
1991 100% 75.2%
1990 100% 74%
1989 100% 72.5%
1988 100% 70.6%
1987 100% 68.6%
1986 100% 66.6%
1985 100% 64.8%
1984 100% 63.1%
1983 100% 61.5%
1982 100% 60%
1981 100% 58.3%
1980 100% 56.7%
1979 100% 54.9%
1978 100% 53.1%
1977 100% 51.3%
1976 100% 49.6%
1975 100% 48%
1974 100% 46.5%
1973 100% 45.1%
1972 100% 43.8%
1971 100% 42.3%
1970 100% 40.7%
1969 100% 38.7%
1968 100% 36.5%
1967 100% 34.6%
1966 100% 33.1%
1965 100% 32%
1964 100% 31%
1963 100% 30.1%
1962 100% 29.2%
1961 100% 28.4%
1960 100% 27.7%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 100% to 100% in Singapore and from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea.

Densely populated cities

Singapore
City Population
Singapore 5.87M
Bukit Merah 152K
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/singapore/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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