South Korea has a population density of 1,373 people per square mile compared to 741 people in the United Kingdom. South Korea has 20,861 sq ft of land per person vs 37,705 sq ft in the United Kingdom. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Korea and the United Kingdom are ranked 18th and 35th, 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 0.85% of the population and 0.16% of the land area for the United Kingdom, hence the population density in South Korea is 85.3% higher than in the United Kingdom.
Population density comparison
South Korea
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,373 ppl/mi² | 741 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 18/197 | 35/197 |
| Population |
51700480
|
69945462
|
| Land area | 37,684 sq mi | 93,410 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 20,300 sq ft | 37,618 sq ft |
| Rural population | 18.5% | 15.1% |
| Urban population | 81.5% | 84.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 52% | 14.4% |
South Korea vs the United Kingdom:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in South Korea increased by 6.77%, compared to a 15.4% growth in the United Kingdom.
In 2004, South Korea ranked 13th for population density and is in 18th place now. The United Kingdom was 35th in 2004 and still ranks 35th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Korea
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 1,373 | 741 |
| 2023 | 1,372 | 733 |
| 2022 | 1,371 | 724 |
| 2021 | 1,374 | 717 |
| 2020 | 1,376 | 715 |
| 2019 | 1,374 | 713 |
| 2018 | 1,370 | 710 |
| 2017 | 1,364 | 706 |
| 2016 | 1,361 | 702 |
| 2015 | 1,356 | 697 |
| 2014 | 1,349 | 692 |
| 2013 | 1,341 | 687 |
| 2012 | 1,336 | 682 |
| 2011 | 1,331 | 677 |
| 2010 | 1,320 | 672 |
| 2009 | 1,316 | 667 |
| 2008 | 1,310 | 662 |
| 2007 | 1,301 | 656 |
| 2006 | 1,295 | 651 |
| 2005 | 1,289 | 647 |
| 2004 | 1,286 | 642 |
| 2003 | 1,281 | 639 |
| 2002 | 1,275 | 636 |
| 2001 | 1,268 | 633 |
| 2000 | 1,262 | 630 |
| 1999 | 1,252 | 628 |
| 1998 | 1,243 | 626 |
| 1997 | 1,234 | 624 |
| 1996 | 1,222 | 623 |
| 1995 | 1,211 | 621 |
| 1994 | 1,199 | 619 |
| 1993 | 1,187 | 618 |
| 1992 | 1,175 | 616 |
| 1991 | 1,163 | 615 |
| 1990 | 1,151 | 613 |
| 1989 | 1,140 | 611 |
| 1988 | 1,129 | 609 |
| 1987 | 1,118 | 608 |
| 1986 | 1,107 | 607 |
| 1985 | 1,096 | 605 |
| 1984 | 1,085 | 604 |
| 1983 | 1,072 | 603 |
| 1982 | 1,056 | 603 |
| 1981 | 1,040 | 603 |
| 1980 | 1,024 | 603 |
| 1979 | 1,008 | 602 |
| 1978 | 993 | 602 |
| 1977 | 978 | 602 |
| 1976 | 963 | 602 |
| 1975 | 947 | 602 |
| 1974 | 932 | 602 |
| 1973 | 916 | 602 |
| 1972 | 900 | 600 |
| 1971 | 883 | 598 |
| 1970 | 866 | 596 |
| 1969 | 847 | 594 |
| 1968 | 828 | 591 |
| 1967 | 809 | 588 |
| 1966 | 790 | 585 |
| 1965 | 771 | 582 |
| 1964 | 751 | 578 |
| 1963 | 732 | 574 |
| 1962 | 712 | 570 |
| 1961 | 692 | 565 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Korea
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 81.5% | 84.9% |
| 2023 | 81.5% | 84.6% |
| 2022 | 81.4% | 84.4% |
| 2021 | 81.4% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 81.4% | 83.9% |
| 2019 | 81.4% | 83.7% |
| 2018 | 81.5% | 83.4% |
| 2017 | 81.5% | 83.1% |
| 2016 | 81.6% | 82.9% |
| 2015 | 81.6% | 82.6% |
| 2014 | 81.7% | 82.4% |
| 2013 | 81.8% | 82.1% |
| 2012 | 81.9% | 81.8% |
| 2011 | 81.9% | 81.6% |
| 2010 | 81.9% | 81.3% |
| 2009 | 81.8% | 81% |
| 2008 | 81.7% | 80.8% |
| 2007 | 81.6% | 80.5% |
| 2006 | 81.5% | 80.2% |
| 2005 | 81.3% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 81% | 79.6% |
| 2003 | 80.7% | 79.3% |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 79% |
| 2001 | 79.9% | 78.8% |
| 2000 | 79.6% | 78.7% |
| 1999 | 79.4% | 78.6% |
| 1998 | 79.1% | 78.5% |
| 1997 | 78.9% | 78.5% |
| 1996 | 78.7% | 78.4% |
| 1995 | 78.2% | 78.4% |
| 1994 | 77.5% | 78.3% |
| 1993 | 76.6% | 78.2% |
| 1992 | 75.8% | 78.2% |
| 1991 | 75% | 78.1% |
| 1990 | 73.8% | 78.1% |
| 1989 | 72.1% | 78.2% |
| 1988 | 70.4% | 78.2% |
| 1987 | 68.6% | 78.3% |
| 1986 | 66.7% | 78.3% |
| 1985 | 64.9% | 78.4% |
| 1984 | 63.3% | 78.4% |
| 1983 | 61.7% | 78.5% |
| 1982 | 60.1% | 78.5% |
| 1981 | 58.4% | 78.6% |
| 1980 | 56.7% | 78.5% |
| 1979 | 55% | 78.3% |
| 1978 | 53.2% | 78.2% |
| 1977 | 51.5% | 78% |
| 1976 | 49.7% | 77.8% |
| 1975 | 48% | 77.7% |
| 1974 | 46.6% | 77.5% |
| 1973 | 45.1% | 77.4% |
| 1972 | 43.7% | 77.2% |
| 1971 | 42.3% | 77% |
| 1970 | 40.7% | 77.1% |
| 1969 | 38.8% | 77.3% |
| 1968 | 36.8% | 77.4% |
| 1967 | 35% | 77.5% |
| 1966 | 33.3% | 77.7% |
| 1965 | 32.4% | 77.8% |
| 1964 | 31.4% | 78% |
| 1963 | 30.4% | 78.1% |
| 1962 | 29.5% | 78.2% |
| 1961 | 28.5% | 78.4% |
| 1960 | 27.7% | 78.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 81% to 81.5% in South Korea and from 79.6% to 84.9% in the United Kingdom.
Densely populated cities
|
South Korea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Seoul | 9.67M |
| Busan | 3.45M |
| Incheon | 2.94M |
| Daegu | 2.38M |
| Gwangju | 1.49M |
| Daejeon | 1.48M |
| Suwon | 1.23M |
| Ulsan | 1.13M |
| Yongin | 1.08M |
| Goyang | 1.06M |
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| London | 8.8M |
| Birmingham | 1.14M |
| Glasgow | 626K |
| Manchester | 548K |
| Leeds | 536K |
| Sheffield | 518K |
| Liverpool | 513K |
| Edinburgh | 488K |
| Bristol | 472K |
| Leicester | 464K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
Population density comparisons
