South Korea has a population density of 1,373 people per square mile compared to 253 people in Spain. South Korea has 20,861 sq ft of land per person vs 111,591 sq ft in Spain. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Korea and Spain are ranked 18th and 95th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. South Korea has 0.64% of the world's population and 0.07% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.6% of the population and 0.34% of the land area for Spain, hence the population density in South Korea is 443% higher than in Spain.
Population density comparison
South Korea
|
Spain
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,373 ppl/mi² | 253 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 18/197 | 95/197 |
| Population |
51700480
|
48786181
|
| Land area | 37,684 sq mi | 192,934 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 20,300 sq ft | 110,203 sq ft |
| Rural population | 18.5% | 18.2% |
| Urban population | 81.5% | 81.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 52% | 10.5% |
South Korea vs Spain:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in South Korea increased by 6.77%, compared to a 13.6% growth in Spain.
In 2004, South Korea ranked 13th for population density and is in 18th place now. Spain was 85th in 2004 and ranks 95th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Korea
|
Spain
|
|
| 2024 | 1,373 | 253 |
| 2023 | 1,372 | 250.6 |
| 2022 | 1,371 | 247.7 |
| 2021 | 1,374 | 245.9 |
| 2020 | 1,376 | 245.5 |
| 2019 | 1,374 | 244.3 |
| 2018 | 1,370 | 242.5 |
| 2017 | 1,364 | 241.5 |
| 2016 | 1,361 | 240.9 |
| 2015 | 1,356 | 240.6 |
| 2014 | 1,349 | 240.6 |
| 2013 | 1,341 | 241.3 |
| 2012 | 1,336 | 242.2 |
| 2011 | 1,331 | 242.2 |
| 2010 | 1,320 | 241.3 |
| 2009 | 1,316 | 240.8 |
| 2008 | 1,310 | 238.6 |
| 2007 | 1,301 | 234.7 |
| 2006 | 1,295 | 230.4 |
| 2005 | 1,289 | 226.5 |
| 2004 | 1,286 | 222.7 |
| 2003 | 1,281 | 218.9 |
| 2002 | 1,275 | 215 |
| 2001 | 1,268 | 212.2 |
| 2000 | 1,262 | 210.6 |
| 1999 | 1,252 | 209.4 |
| 1998 | 1,243 | 208.6 |
| 1997 | 1,234 | 207.7 |
| 1996 | 1,222 | 206.9 |
| 1995 | 1,211 | 206 |
| 1994 | 1,199 | 205.1 |
| 1993 | 1,187 | 204.1 |
| 1992 | 1,175 | 203.1 |
| 1991 | 1,163 | 202.1 |
| 1990 | 1,151 | 201.6 |
| 1989 | 1,140 | 201.4 |
| 1988 | 1,129 | 201 |
| 1987 | 1,118 | 200.6 |
| 1986 | 1,107 | 200.1 |
| 1985 | 1,096 | 199.5 |
| 1984 | 1,085 | 198.8 |
| 1983 | 1,072 | 198 |
| 1982 | 1,056 | 197 |
| 1981 | 1,040 | 195.8 |
| 1980 | 1,024 | 194.4 |
| 1979 | 1,008 | 192.8 |
| 1978 | 993 | 191.1 |
| 1977 | 978 | 189.3 |
| 1976 | 963 | 187.4 |
| 1975 | 947 | 185.4 |
| 1974 | 932 | 183.3 |
| 1973 | 916 | 181.3 |
| 1972 | 900 | 179.3 |
| 1971 | 883 | 177.4 |
| 1970 | 866 | 175.2 |
| 1969 | 847 | 173.3 |
| 1968 | 828 | 171.6 |
| 1967 | 809 | 169.4 |
| 1966 | 790 | 167.3 |
| 1965 | 771 | 165.6 |
| 1964 | 751 | 163.8 |
| 1963 | 732 | 162.2 |
| 1962 | 712 | 160.8 |
| 1961 | 692 | 159.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Korea
|
Spain
|
|
| 2024 | 81.5% | 81.8% |
| 2023 | 81.5% | 81.6% |
| 2022 | 81.4% | 81.3% |
| 2021 | 81.4% | 81.1% |
| 2020 | 81.4% | 80.8% |
| 2019 | 81.4% | 80.6% |
| 2018 | 81.5% | 80.3% |
| 2017 | 81.5% | 80.1% |
| 2016 | 81.6% | 79.8% |
| 2015 | 81.6% | 79.6% |
| 2014 | 81.7% | 79.4% |
| 2013 | 81.8% | 79.1% |
| 2012 | 81.9% | 78.9% |
| 2011 | 81.9% | 78.7% |
| 2010 | 81.9% | 78.4% |
| 2009 | 81.8% | 78.2% |
| 2008 | 81.7% | 78% |
| 2007 | 81.6% | 77.7% |
| 2006 | 81.5% | 77.5% |
| 2005 | 81.3% | 77.3% |
| 2004 | 81% | 77% |
| 2003 | 80.7% | 76.8% |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 76.5% |
| 2001 | 79.9% | 76.3% |
| 2000 | 79.6% | 76.3% |
| 1999 | 79.4% | 76.2% |
| 1998 | 79.1% | 76.1% |
| 1997 | 78.9% | 76% |
| 1996 | 78.7% | 75.9% |
| 1995 | 78.2% | 75.9% |
| 1994 | 77.5% | 75.8% |
| 1993 | 76.6% | 75.7% |
| 1992 | 75.8% | 75.6% |
| 1991 | 75% | 75.5% |
| 1990 | 73.8% | 75.4% |
| 1989 | 72.1% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 70.4% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 68.6% | 74.7% |
| 1986 | 66.7% | 74.4% |
| 1985 | 64.9% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 63.3% | 74% |
| 1983 | 61.7% | 73.7% |
| 1982 | 60.1% | 73.5% |
| 1981 | 58.4% | 73.3% |
| 1980 | 56.7% | 72.8% |
| 1979 | 55% | 72.2% |
| 1978 | 53.2% | 71.5% |
| 1977 | 51.5% | 70.9% |
| 1976 | 49.7% | 70.2% |
| 1975 | 48% | 69.6% |
| 1974 | 46.6% | 68.9% |
| 1973 | 45.1% | 68.2% |
| 1972 | 43.7% | 67.5% |
| 1971 | 42.3% | 66.8% |
| 1970 | 40.7% | 66% |
| 1969 | 38.8% | 65.1% |
| 1968 | 36.8% | 64.2% |
| 1967 | 35% | 63.2% |
| 1966 | 33.3% | 62.3% |
| 1965 | 32.4% | 61.3% |
| 1964 | 31.4% | 60.3% |
| 1963 | 30.4% | 59.3% |
| 1962 | 29.5% | 58.3% |
| 1961 | 28.5% | 57.3% |
| 1960 | 27.7% | 56.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 81% to 81.5% in South Korea and from 77% to 81.8% in Spain.
Densely populated cities
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