Annual growth rate of urban population share in South Korea
South Korea: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 0.0086 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.0086
Change on year
up 48.3%
World rank
204th
of 236 countries
All-time high
5.8
in 1968
All-time low
-0.1298
in 2019
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Annual growth rate of urban population share in South Korea, 1950–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual growth rate of urban population share in South Korea is 0.0086, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 48.3% on the previous year and up 107.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in South Korea peaked at 5.8 in 1968 and was at its lowest, -0.1298, in 2019.
That places South Korea 204th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth rate of urban population share in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.91 | — |
| 1951 | 3.69 | -5.8% |
| 1952 | 3.48 | -5.6% |
| 1953 | 3.29 | -5.5% |
| 1954 | 3.12 | -5.2% |
| 1955 | 2.93 | -6.1% |
| 1956 | 2.66 | -9.0% |
| 1957 | 2.47 | -7.1% |
| 1958 | 2.42 | -2.2% |
| 1959 | 2.52 | +4.0% |
| 1960 | 2.65 | +5.4% |
| 1961 | 2.74 | +3.3% |
| 1962 | 2.74 | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 2.85 | +4.1% |
| 1964 | 3.06 | +7.3% |
| 1965 | 3.35 | +9.4% |
| 1966 | 3.79 | +13.1% |
| 1967 | 5.01 | +32.2% |
| 1968 | 5.8 | +15.9% |
| 1969 | 5.46 | -5.8% |
| 1970 | 4.53 | -17.1% |
| 1971 | 3.56 | -21.4% |
| 1972 | 3.18 | -10.8% |
| 1973 | 2.99 | -5.9% |
| 1974 | 3.02 | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 3.17 | +5.1% |
| 1976 | 3.39 | +6.8% |
| 1977 | 3.44 | +1.6% |
| 1978 | 3.4 | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 3.25 | -4.5% |
| 1980 | 3.04 | -6.3% |
| 1981 | 2.81 | -7.7% |
| 1982 | 2.67 | -4.9% |
| 1983 | 2.59 | -3.0% |
| 1984 | 2.57 | -0.8% |
| 1985 | 2.62 | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 2.85 | +8.8% |
| 1987 | 2.96 | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 2.81 | -5.0% |
| 1989 | 2.35 | -16.4% |
| 1990 | 1.84 | -21.7% |
| 1991 | 1.43 | -22.3% |
| 1992 | 1.29 | -9.9% |
| 1993 | 1.09 | -15.3% |
| 1994 | 0.8218 | -24.5% |
| 1995 | 0.5752 | -30.0% |
| 1996 | 0.3545 | -38.4% |
| 1997 | 0.2667 | -24.8% |
| 1998 | 0.2273 | -14.8% |
| 1999 | 0.2468 | +8.6% |
| 2000 | 0.311 | +26.0% |
| 2001 | 0.4466 | +43.6% |
| 2002 | 0.526 | +17.8% |
| 2003 | 0.5267 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 0.4201 | -20.2% |
| 2005 | 0.2871 | -31.7% |
| 2006 | 0.1838 | -36.0% |
| 2007 | 0.1662 | -9.6% |
| 2008 | 0.133 | -20.0% |
| 2009 | 0.0779 | -41.4% |
| 2010 | 0.0267 | -65.7% |
| 2011 | -0.0388 | -245.3% |
| 2012 | -0.0845 | +117.8% |
| 2013 | -0.1112 | +31.6% |
| 2014 | -0.1161 | +4.4% |
| 2015 | -0.1086 | -6.5% |
| 2016 | -0.1011 | -6.9% |
| 2017 | -0.1065 | +5.3% |
| 2018 | -0.1112 | +4.4% |
| 2019 | -0.1298 | +16.7% |
| 2020 | -0.0858 | -33.9% |
| 2021 | 0.0005 | -100.6% |
| 2022 | 0.0017 | +240.0% |
| 2023 | 0.0035 | +105.9% |
| 2024 | 0.0058 | +65.7% |
| 2025 | 0.0086 | +48.3% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.0086 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.0955, 9% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.0086 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2441, 4% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual growth rate of urban population share in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +240.0% | 0.0005 | 0.0017 |
| 2011 | -245.3% | 0.0267 | -0.0388 |
| 2012 | -117.8% | -0.0388 | -0.0845 |
| 2023 | +105.9% | 0.0017 | 0.0035 |
| 2021 | +100.6% | -0.0858 | 0.0005 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.05 | 2.42 | 3.91 | 10 |
| 1960s | 3.74 | 2.65 | 5.8 | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.39 | 2.99 | 4.53 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.73 | 2.35 | 3.04 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8129 | 0.2273 | 1.84 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3078 | 0.0779 | 0.5267 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.0881 | -0.1298 | 0.0267 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.011 | -0.0858 | 0.0086 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 201 Trinidad and Tobago 0.017 compare
- 202 Romania 0.0133 compare
- 203 Bahamas 0.009 compare
- 205 Reunion 0.0081 compare
- 206 Slovakia 0.0049 compare
- 207 Anguilla 0
- 207 Bahrain 0 compare
- 207 Bermuda 0 compare
- 207 Cayman Islands 0
- 207 Gibraltar 0
- 207 Hong Kong 0 compare
- 207 Kuwait 0 compare
- 207 Macao 0 compare
- 207 Monaco 0
- 207 Montserrat 0 compare
- 207 Nauru 0
- 207 Saint Barthelemy 0
- 207 Saint Martin (French Part) 0
- 207 Singapore 0
- 207 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 0
- 207 Tokelau 0
- 207 Vatican 0
- 207 Wallis and Futuna 0
More population data for South Korea
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.17 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3601 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.45 (2100)
- Population density 223.86 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 599,530 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -1.45 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.007 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in South Korea?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in South Korea was 0.0086 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.8 in 1968.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.1298 in 2019.
- How does South Korea rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- South Korea ranks 204th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 107.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth rate of urban population share. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 76 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).