South Korea vs Spain: Total population
South Korea
51,697 thousands
in 2025
Spain
47,905 thousands
in 2025
South Korea rank
28th
Spain rank
31st
Total population over time
- South Korea
- Spain
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 51,697 thousands against 47,905 thousands in Spain, a difference of 3,792 thousands.
That makes South Korea's figure about 1.1 times Spain's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 56 shared years of data; in 1970 it was Spain ahead.
South Korea ranks 28th and Spain ranks 31st of 230 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, South Korea averaged higher in 5 and Spain in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | Spain | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 35,086 thousands | 35,359 thousands | 273.45 thousands | Spain |
| 1980s | 40,547 thousands | 38,342 thousands | 2,205 thousands | South Korea |
| 1990s | 45,147 thousands | 39,844 thousands | 5,303 thousands | South Korea |
| 2000s | 47,625 thousands | 43,388 thousands | 4,237 thousands | South Korea |
| 2010s | 50,369 thousands | 46,881 thousands | 3,488 thousands | South Korea |
| 2020s | 51,786 thousands | 47,806 thousands | 3,980 thousands | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher total population, South Korea or Spain?
- South Korea, at 51,697 thousands against 47,905 thousands in Spain as of 2025.
- What is the difference in total population between South Korea and Spain?
- 3,792 thousands, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and Spain?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do South Korea and Spain rank globally for total population?
- South Korea ranks 28th and Spain ranks 31st of 230 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Total population (thousands). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release