South Korea has a population density of 1,373 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. South Korea has 20,861 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Korea ranked 18th out of 197.
South Korea has 0.64% of the world's population and 0.07% of all countries' land area.
Population density in South Korea compared to the World's average
South Korea
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,373 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 18/197 | N/A |
| Population |
51700480
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 37,684 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 20,300 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 18.5% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 81.5% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 52% | 28.6% |
South Korea population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in South Korea has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 6.77%. The population density rank was 13th 21 years ago and is 18th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,373 | 18 |
| 2023 | 1,372 | 18 |
| 2022 | 1,371 | 16 |
| 2021 | 1,374 | 16 |
| 2020 | 1,376 | 15 |
| 2019 | 1,374 | 15 |
| 2018 | 1,370 | 15 |
| 2017 | 1,364 | 15 |
| 2016 | 1,361 | 15 |
| 2015 | 1,356 | 15 |
| 2014 | 1,349 | 15 |
| 2013 | 1,341 | 15 |
| 2012 | 1,336 | 13 |
| 2011 | 1,331 | 13 |
| 2010 | 1,320 | 13 |
| 2009 | 1,316 | 13 |
| 2008 | 1,310 | 13 |
| 2007 | 1,301 | 13 |
| 2006 | 1,295 | 14 |
| 2005 | 1,289 | 13 |
| 2004 | 1,286 | 13 |
| 2003 | 1,281 | 13 |
| 2002 | 1,275 | 13 |
| 2001 | 1,268 | 13 |
| 2000 | 1,262 | 12 |
| 1999 | 1,252 | 11 |
| 1998 | 1,243 | 11 |
| 1997 | 1,234 | 11 |
| 1996 | 1,222 | 11 |
| 1995 | 1,211 | 11 |
| 1994 | 1,199 | 11 |
| 1993 | 1,187 | 11 |
| 1992 | 1,175 | 11 |
| 1991 | 1,163 | 11 |
| 1990 | 1,151 | 11 |
| 1989 | 1,140 | 11 |
| 1988 | 1,129 | 12 |
| 1987 | 1,118 | 12 |
| 1986 | 1,107 | 12 |
| 1985 | 1,096 | 12 |
| 1984 | 1,085 | 11 |
| 1983 | 1,072 | 11 |
| 1982 | 1,056 | 11 |
| 1981 | 1,040 | 11 |
| 1980 | 1,024 | 11 |
| 1979 | 1,008 | 11 |
| 1978 | 993 | 11 |
| 1977 | 978 | 11 |
| 1976 | 963 | 11 |
| 1975 | 947 | 11 |
| 1974 | 932 | 11 |
| 1973 | 916 | 11 |
| 1972 | 900 | 11 |
| 1971 | 883 | 10 |
| 1970 | 866 | 11 |
| 1969 | 847 | 11 |
| 1968 | 828 | 10 |
| 1967 | 809 | 10 |
| 1966 | 790 | 10 |
| 1965 | 771 | 10 |
| 1964 | 751 | 10 |
| 1963 | 732 | 11 |
| 1962 | 712 | 11 |
| 1961 | 692 | 11 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in South Korea from 1960 to 2024: 27.7% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 79.6% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 81.5%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 81.5% | 47 |
| 2023 | 81.5% | 47 |
| 2022 | 81.4% | 44 |
| 2021 | 81.4% | 43 |
| 2020 | 81.4% | 41 |
| 2019 | 81.4% | 40 |
| 2018 | 81.5% | 38 |
| 2017 | 81.5% | 38 |
| 2016 | 81.6% | 37 |
| 2015 | 81.6% | 36 |
| 2014 | 81.7% | 35 |
| 2013 | 81.8% | 35 |
| 2012 | 81.9% | 34 |
| 2011 | 81.9% | 34 |
| 2010 | 81.9% | 34 |
| 2009 | 81.8% | 34 |
| 2008 | 81.7% | 33 |
| 2007 | 81.6% | 33 |
| 2006 | 81.5% | 32 |
| 2005 | 81.3% | 32 |
| 2004 | 81% | 32 |
| 2003 | 80.7% | 31 |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 32 |
| 2001 | 79.9% | 31 |
| 2000 | 79.6% | 30 |
| 1999 | 79.4% | 30 |
| 1998 | 79.1% | 30 |
| 1997 | 78.9% | 30 |
| 1996 | 78.7% | 28 |
| 1995 | 78.2% | 30 |
| 1994 | 77.5% | 32 |
| 1993 | 76.6% | 33 |
| 1992 | 75.8% | 35 |
| 1991 | 75% | 37 |
| 1990 | 73.8% | 40 |
| 1989 | 72.1% | 43 |
| 1988 | 70.4% | 48 |
| 1987 | 68.6% | 50 |
| 1986 | 66.7% | 56 |
| 1985 | 64.9% | 60 |
| 1984 | 63.3% | 64 |
| 1983 | 61.7% | 64 |
| 1982 | 60.1% | 64 |
| 1981 | 58.4% | 66 |
| 1980 | 56.7% | 67 |
| 1979 | 55% | 69 |
| 1978 | 53.2% | 70 |
| 1977 | 51.5% | 72 |
| 1976 | 49.7% | 73 |
| 1975 | 48% | 77 |
| 1974 | 46.6% | 80 |
| 1973 | 45.1% | 80 |
| 1972 | 43.7% | 82 |
| 1971 | 42.3% | 82 |
| 1970 | 40.7% | 87 |
| 1969 | 38.8% | 93 |
| 1968 | 36.8% | 101 |
| 1967 | 35% | 107 |
| 1966 | 33.3% | 109 |
| 1965 | 32.4% | 110 |
| 1964 | 31.4% | 109 |
| 1963 | 30.4% | 113 |
| 1962 | 29.5% | 113 |
| 1961 | 28.5% | 114 |
| 1960 | 27.7% | 113 |
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
South Korea topic pages:
Population density comparisons
