Data as of Aug 2, 2026, 11:36 PM

SERIAL · 410Asia

South Korea

CapitalSeoul

CurrencyKRW · won

LanguageKorean Sign Language, Korean

Area100,450 km²

Since1948

ISOKOR · KR

Population

51.7Mas of 2025

— THE COUNTRY —

Country in East Asia

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. South Korea claims to be the sole legitimate government of the entire peninsula and adjacent islands. It has a population of about 52 million, of which half live in the Seoul metropolitan area, the ninth most populous metropolitan area in the world, with other major cities being Busan, Daegu, and Incheon.

Text: Wikipedia — South KoreaCC BY-SA 4.0 · revised 2026-07-30

— FACTS —

Capital: Seoul
Currency: won (KRW)
Official language: Korean Sign Language, Korean
Drives on the: Right
Calling code: +82
Licence plate code: ROK
Top-level domain: .kr
Independence / founding: 15 Aug 1948
Highest point: Hallasan (1,947 m)
Lowest point: Sea of Japan
Anthem: Aegukga

Facts: Wikidata (CC0) · as of 2026-08-02

— LAND —

Land covered by forest

64.1%% of land area

#21 of 2132023

202% of world average

Forest area

62,570km²

#67 of 2132023

33% of world average

Agricultural land

16.1%% of land area

#163 of 2092023

43% of world average

Farmable (arable) land

14.9%% of land area

#71 of 2062023

107% of world average

Land area

100,450km²

#109 of 2152023

15% of world average

— PEOPLE —

Population

51.7Mpeople

#29 of 2162025

136% of world average

Population growth

-0.1%% per year

#181 of 2162025

-13% of world average

Population density

530people per km²

#23 of 2152023

117% of world average

People living in cities

81.2%% of population

#54 of 2162025

128% of world average

Urban population growth

-0.1%% per year

#191 of 2162025

-8% of world average

People living rurally

18.8%% of population

#163 of 2162025

51% of world average

Population aged 0-14

10.2%% of population

#216 of 2162025

41% of world average

Population aged 15-64

69.5%% of population

#33 of 2162025

108% of world average

Population aged 65+

20.3%% of population

#35 of 2162025

188% of world average

▸ ISSUE 7 MORE

Age dependency ratio

44.0%% of working-age population

#184 of 2162025

77% of world average

Female population

50.1%% of population

#135 of 2162025

100% of world average

Births per woman

1births per woman

#215 of 2162024

32% of world average

Birth rate

4.7 /1,000per 1,000 people

#215 of 2162024

27% of world average

Death rate

7.0 /1,000per 1,000 people

#121 of 2162024

91% of world average

Net migration

65,731people (5-year total)

#20 of 2162025

59695% of world average

Migrants living in the country

3.5%% of population

#129 of 2152024

26% of world average

— MONEY —

GDP

$1.87Tcurrent US$

#13 of 2112025

337% of world average

GDP, purchasing power parity

$3.26Tcurrent int'l $

#14 of 1992025

312% of world average

GDP per person

$36,227current US$

#46 of 2112025

151% of world average

GDP per person, purchasing power parity

$63,125current int'l $

#35 of 1992025

189% of world average

GDP growth

1.0%% per year

#173 of 2102025

30% of world average

GDP per person growth

1.1%% per year

#140 of 2102025

48% of world average

Gross national income

$1.90Tcurrent US$

#13 of 2042025

333% of world average

Gross national income per person

$37,880current US$

#36 of 2032025

188% of world average

Gross national income per person, PPP

$64,210current int'l $

#32 of 1972025

202% of world average

▸ ISSUE 29 MORE

Inflation

2.1%% per year

#64 of 1902025

25% of world average

Inflation (GDP deflator)

3.1%% per year

#98 of 2092025

44% of world average

Real interest rate

1.0%%

#108 of 1342025

25% of world average

Lending interest rate

4.2%%

#126 of 1342025

37% of world average

Government debt

47.8%% of GDP

#26 of 632024

80% of world average

Government revenue

25.8%% of GDP

#72 of 1492024

98% of world average

Government spending

28.3%% of GDP

#63 of 1492023

103% of world average

Government consumption

17.6%% of GDP

#79 of 1812025

101% of world average

Household consumption

48.0%% of GDP

#154 of 1812025

74% of world average

Investment (gross capital formation)

29.1%% of GDP

#39 of 1782025

125% of world average

Fixed investment

28.3%% of GDP

#33 of 1732025

127% of world average

Gross savings

35.6%% of GDP

#19 of 1682025

162% of world average

Foreign investment inflows

$15.80Bcurrent US$

#27 of 2012025

188% of world average

Foreign investment inflows

0.8%% of GDP

#150 of 1982025

no comparison

Foreign investment outflows

2.2%% of GDP

#24 of 1792025

102% of world average

Current account balance

6.6%% of GDP

#29 of 1912025

no comparison

Foreign reserves

$436.57Bcurrent US$

#9 of 1772025

434% of world average

Income inequality (Gini)

330-100

#54 of 1472021

92% of world average

People below the poverty line

0.1%% of population

#18 of 1472021

1% of world average

Income share held by richest 10%

25.0%%

#52 of 1472021

90% of world average

Income share held by poorest 10%

2.9%%

#65 of 1472021

104% of world average

Stock market value

147.2%% of GDP

#10 of 882025

194% of world average

Money sent home by workers abroad

$7.07Bcurrent US$

#30 of 1862025

137% of world average

Foreign aid received

-0.0%% of GNI

not enough data to rank1999

0% of world average

Exchange rate

1,422local currency per US$

#22 of 2112025

98% of world average

Agriculture's share of the economy

1.5%% of GDP

#163 of 1992025

15% of world average

Industry's share of the economy

34.3%% of GDP

#36 of 2022025

140% of world average

Manufacturing's share of the economy

27.4%% of GDP

#7 of 1952025

250% of world average

Services' share of the economy

57.2%% of GDP

#105 of 2022025

99% of world average

1 of 39 figures unavailable for South Korea.

— TRADE —

Exports

45.8%% of GDP

#64 of 1872025

106% of world average

Imports

40.6%% of GDP

#105 of 1872025

82% of world average

Trade balance

5.2%% of GDP

#37 of 1872025

no comparison

Total trade (openness)

71.6%% of GDP

#64 of 2052025

111% of world average

Goods exported

$709.33Bcurrent US$

#8 of 2072025

573% of world average

Goods imported

$631.90Bcurrent US$

#12 of 2072025

501% of world average

Services exported

$150.14Bcurrent US$

#18 of 1912025

309% of world average

Services imported

$184.66Bcurrent US$

#12 of 1912025

420% of world average

Goods and services exported

$869.09Bcurrent US$

#10 of 1912025

497% of world average

▸ ISSUE 3 MORE

Goods and services imported

$765.53Bcurrent US$

#11 of 1912025

452% of world average

High-tech share of exports

36.3%% of manufactured exports

#14 of 1792024

299% of world average

Terms of trade

88index

#174 of 2062024

84% of world average

— HEALTH —

Life expectancy

83.6 yrsyears

#14 of 2162024

113% of world average

Life expectancy, women

86.6 yrsyears

#6 of 2162024

113% of world average

Life expectancy, men

80.8 yrsyears

#26 of 2162024

113% of world average

Infant deaths

2.3 /1,000per 1,000 live births

#17 of 1962024

12% of world average

Deaths under age 5

2.8 /1,000per 1,000 live births

#18 of 1962024

12% of world average

Maternal deaths

4per 100,000 live births

#18 of 1942023

3% of world average

Health spending

8.7%% of GDP

#50 of 1932024

127% of world average

Health spending per person

$3,137current US$

#29 of 1932024

215% of world average

Physicians

2.6 /1,000per 1,000 people

#74 of 1872022

124% of world average

▸ ISSUE 9 MORE

Nurses and midwives

9.1 /1,000per 1,000 people

#29 of 1962022

193% of world average

Hospital beds

12.8 /1,000per 1,000 people

#1 of 1572022

433% of world average

Access to clean drinking water

100.0%% of population

#17 of 2142024

110% of world average

Access to basic sanitation

99.7%% of population

#30 of 2132024

124% of world average

Suicide rate

28per 100,000 people

#184 of 1852021

322% of world average

Adults who smoke

18.6%% of adults

#82 of 1662024

94% of world average

Tuberculosis cases

35per 100,000 people

#95 of 2082024

35% of world average

Undernourishment

2.5%% of population

#32 of 1682023

25% of world average

Children vaccinated against measles

97.0%% of children 12-23 months

#37 of 1932024

113% of world average

1 of 19 figures unavailable for South Korea.

— LEARNING —

Education spending

5.4%% of GDP

#42 of 1902022

125% of world average

Adult literacy

98.0%% aged 15+

not enough data to rank2008

117% of world average

Youth literacy

99.9%% aged 15-24

not enough data to rank2008

110% of world average

Primary school enrolment

100.9%% gross

#94 of 2002024

100% of world average

Secondary school enrolment

96.3%% gross

#76 of 1882024

110% of world average

University enrolment

111.9%% gross

#5 of 1672024

225% of world average

Primary school completion

102.9%% of relevant age group

#22 of 1802024

115% of world average

Pupils per teacher, primary school

16pupils per teacher

#69 of 1602017

73% of world average

Years of compulsory education

9.0 yrsyears

#133 of 1972025

90% of world average

1 of 10 figures unavailable for South Korea.

— WORK —

Unemployment

2.7%% of labour force

#29 of 1862025

39% of world average

Youth unemployment

6.7%% of labour force aged 15-24

#39 of 1862025

43% of world average

Labour force participation

64.4%% aged 15+

#71 of 1862025

106% of world average

Women in the labour force

56.8%% of women aged 15+

#66 of 1862025

111% of world average

Men in the labour force

72.0%% of men aged 15+

#71 of 1862025

103% of world average

Labour force

29.9Mpeople

#23 of 1862025

148% of world average

Working in agriculture

5.1%% of employment

#132 of 1862025

23% of world average

Working in industry

23.4%% of employment

#52 of 1862025

119% of world average

Working in services

71.5%% of employment

#53 of 1862025

122% of world average

▸ ISSUE 3 MORE

Self-employed

22.7%% of employment

#122 of 1862025

59% of world average

Labour force with advanced education

74.7%% of labour force

#114 of 1712025

98% of world average

Employed

62.6%% aged 15+

#54 of 1862025

111% of world average

— CONNECTED —

People online

97.9%% of population

#14 of 2072024

137% of world average

Mobile phone subscriptions

173per 100 people

#18 of 2102024

149% of world average

Fixed broadband subscriptions

48per 100 people

#8 of 2082024

263% of world average

Fixed telephone lines

41per 100 people

#21 of 2132024

277% of world average

Access to electricity

100.0%% of population

#55 of 2142024

113% of world average

Access to clean cooking fuel

100.0%% of population

#28 of 1892023

144% of world average

Electricity used per person

11,350kWh per person

#13 of 1492024

269% of world average

Energy used per person

5,439kg oil equivalent per person

#14 of 1492024

241% of world average

Air passengers carried

76.3Mpassengers

#16 of 1652023

295% of world average

▸ ISSUE 9 MORE

Air freight

12,294million tonne-km

#6 of 1632023

937% of world average

Rail network

4,309route-km

#30 of 842021

41% of world average

Rail passengers

100,381million passenger-km

#5 of 782019

364% of world average

Container port traffic

31.9MTEU

#4 of 1672024

584% of world average

Research and development spending

4.9%% of GDP

#3 of 1272023

507% of world average

Patent applications by residents

186,245count

#4 of 1422021

1150% of world average

Scientific journal articles published

71,724count

#9 of 1972023

436% of world average

Tourists arriving

2.5Mcount

#58 of 1942020

49% of world average

Money earned from tourism

$11.78Bcurrent US$

#14 of 1752020

318% of world average

— NATURE —

Carbon emissions per person

11tonnes per person

#187 of 2032024

252% of world average

Carbon emissions

588Mt CO2

#195 of 2032024

314% of world average

Greenhouse gas emissions

668Mt CO2-equivalent

#191 of 2032024

264% of world average

Protected land

17.7%% of land area

#102 of 2132025

94% of world average

Protected coastal waters

2.3%% of territorial waters

#84 of 1742025

22% of world average

Freshwater withdrawn

45.0%% of internal resources

#145 of 1772022

35% of world average

Renewable water available per person

1,255m³ per person

#120 of 1832022

9% of world average

Renewable energy use

3.6%% of final energy consumption

#171 of 2122021

12% of world average

Electricity from renewables

6.6%% of total

#152 of 2062021

19% of world average

▸ ISSUE 3 MORE

Electricity from fossil fuels

61.2%% of total

#96 of 2092023

103% of world average

Electricity from nuclear power

31.1%% of total

#10 of 2082024

872% of world average

Energy imported (net)

84.6%% of energy use

#18 of 1432023

no comparison

— STATE —

Military spending

2.6%% of GDP

#38 of 1562024

115% of world average

Military spending

$47.57Bcurrent US$

#11 of 1602024

286% of world average

Military spending

11.3%% of government spending

#25 of 1532024

153% of world average

Armed forces personnel

569,000people

#11 of 1702020

355% of world average

Armed forces

2.0%% of labour force

#26 of 1682020

160% of world average

Tax revenue

13.3%% of GDP

#100 of 1492024

79% of world average

Homicides

0per 100,000 people

#10 of 1582023

6% of world average

— TRADE PARTNERS —

Loading trade partner map…

— TRADE —

No trade data available for South Korea.

— EXTRAS —

Anthem

AegukgaAudio: Wikimedia Commons

Capital time

--:--:--Seoul · approx. UTC+8

Neighbours

North Korea

Landmarks

Hwaseong FortressImage: Wikimedia Commons

Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Panjeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana WoodblocksImage: Wikimedia Commons

Gyeongju Historic AreasImage: Wikimedia Commons

Royal Tombs of the Joseon DynastyImage: Wikimedia Commons

Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen SitesImage: Wikimedia Commons

Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava TubesImage: Wikimedia Commons

Baekje Historic AreasImage: Wikimedia Commons

Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa TempleImage: Wikimedia Commons

Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in KoreaImage: Wikimedia Commons

Seowon, Korean Neo-Confucian AcademiesImage: Wikimedia Commons

Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and YangdongImage: Wikimedia Commons

Getbol, Korean Tidal FlatsImage: Wikimedia Commons

Petroglyphs along the Bangucheon StreamImage: Wikimedia Commons

People

Sung Jae-giSouth Korean masculism activist (1967-2013)

Ban Ki-moon8th Secretary-General of the United Nations

Park Geun-hyePresident of South Korea from 2013 to 2017

Moon Jae-in12th President of the Republic of Korea

Park Chung-hee3rd President of the Republic of Korea

PsySouth Korean singer (born 1977)

Han KangSouth Korean writer

Kim Dae-jung8th President of the Republic of Korea (1924–2009)

Yoon Suk YeolPresident of South Korea from 2022 to 2025

Syngman RheePresident of South Korea from 1948 to 1960

RoséSouth Korean-New Zealand singer (born 1997)

Roh Moo-hyun16th President of the Republic of Korea (1946–2009)

History

15 Aug 1948South Korea — founding / independence (Wikidata)

Size, side by side

Loading size comparison…

1960 → now

2026

Population51.7M2025

GDP$1.87T2025

GDP per person$36,2272025