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Population density: South Korea vs Tonga compared

Updated on by Georank team

South Korea has a population density of 1,371 people per square mile compared to 372 people in Tonga. South Korea has 20,861 sq ft of land per person vs 77,340 sq ft in Tonga. South Korea and Tonga rank 18th and 69th by population density, 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 all countries' land area, compared to 0.001% of the population and 0.0005% of the land area for Tonga, making the population density in South Korea 268.8% higher than in Tonga.

Population density by year

South Korea
Tonga

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
South Korea Tonga
2026 1,371 372
2025 1,372 373
2024 1,373 375
2023 1,372 376
2022 1,371 378
2021 1,374 379
2020 1,376 380
2019 1,374 380
2018 1,370 380
2017 1,364 379
2016 1,361 380
2015 1,356 382
2014 1,349 383
2013 1,341 385
2012 1,336 387
2011 1,331 387
2010 1,320 386
2009 1,316 386
2008 1,310 385
2007 1,301 384
2006 1,295 382
2005 1,289 380
2004 1,286 378
2003 1,281 376
2002 1,275 374
2001 1,268 372
2000 1,262 369
1999 1,252 367
1998 1,243 365
1997 1,234 362
1996 1,222 361
1995 1,211 361
1994 1,199 360
1993 1,187 360
1992 1,175 360
1991 1,163 359
1990 1,151 359
1989 1,140 358
1988 1,129 356
1987 1,118 354
1986 1,107 353
1985 1,096 352
1984 1,085 352
1983 1,072 353
1982 1,056 352
1981 1,040 352
1980 1,024 352
1979 1,008 351
1978 993 350
1977 978 348
1976 963 343
1975 947 335
1974 932 326
1973 916 319
1972 900 314
1971 883 309
1970 866 304
1969 847 298.2
1968 828 292.6
1967 809 287.1
1966 790 280.6
1965 771 273.1
1964 751 265.8
1963 732 258.6
1962 712 251.6
1961 692 244.7

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/south-korea/tonga | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in South Korea increased by 5.84%, compared to a 2.77% decline in Tonga.

In 2006, South Korea ranked 14th by population density and is 18th now. Tonga was 54th in 2006 and ranks 69th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

South Korea
Tonga
1x
Year Urban population
South Korea Tonga
2024 81.2% 21.2%
2023 81.2% 21.1%
2022 81.2% 21.1%
2021 81.2% 21.3%
2020 81.2% 21.9%
2019 81.3% 22.3%
2018 81.4% 22.7%
2017 81.5% 23%
2016 81.6% 23.1%
2015 81.6% 23.2%
2014 81.7% 23.3%
2013 81.8% 23.4%
2012 81.9% 23.5%
2011 82% 23.5%
2010 82% 23.4%
2009 81.9% 23.4%
2008 81.8% 23.3%
2007 81.7% 23.2%
2006 81.6% 23.2%
2005 81.4% 23.1%
2004 81.1% 23.1%
2003 80.7% 23.1%
2002 80.3% 23.1%
2001 79.9% 23%
2000 79.6% 23%
1999 79.4% 23%
1998 79.2% 23%
1997 79% 22.9%
1996 78.8% 22.9%
1995 78.4% 22.8%
1994 77.9% 22.7%
1993 77.1% 22.6%
1992 76.2% 22.5%
1991 75.2% 22.4%
1990 74% 22.2%
1989 72.5% 22%
1988 70.6% 21.9%
1987 68.6% 21.7%
1986 66.6% 21.5%
1985 64.8% 21.4%
1984 63.1% 21.2%
1983 61.5% 21%
1982 60% 20.9%
1981 58.3% 20.7%
1980 56.7% 20.6%
1979 54.9% 20.5%
1978 53.1% 20.4%
1977 51.3% 20.4%
1976 49.6% 20.3%
1975 48% 20.3%
1974 46.5% 20.3%
1973 45.1% 20.2%
1972 43.8% 20.2%
1971 42.3% 20.2%
1970 40.7% 20.2%
1969 38.7% 20.2%
1968 36.5% 20.1%
1967 34.6% 20.1%
1966 33.1% 20%
1965 32% 19.9%
1964 31% 19.7%
1963 30.1% 19.4%
1962 29.2% 19.1%
1961 28.4% 18.7%
1960 27.7% 18.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea and from 23.1% to 21.2% in Tonga.

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/south-korea/tonga | 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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