Children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity in South Korea
South Korea: Children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity was 0.72 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0.72
Change on year
down 7.7%
World rank
234th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.18
in 1957
All-time low
0.72
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity in South Korea, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity in South Korea stood at 0.72. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 7.7% on the previous year and down 40.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity in South Korea peaked at 6.18 in 1957 and was at its lowest, 0.72, in 2023.
South Korea ranks 234th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.06 | — |
| 1951 | 6.09 | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 6.12 | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 6.17 | +0.8% |
| 1954 | 6.17 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 6.17 | -0.1% |
| 1956 | 6.17 | +0.1% |
| 1957 | 6.18 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 6.15 | -0.4% |
| 1959 | 6.1 | -0.9% |
| 1960 | 5.99 | -1.7% |
| 1961 | 5.8 | -3.2% |
| 1962 | 5.56 | -4.2% |
| 1963 | 5.33 | -4.1% |
| 1964 | 5.07 | -5.0% |
| 1965 | 4.89 | -3.6% |
| 1966 | 4.78 | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 4.62 | -3.5% |
| 1968 | 4.51 | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 4.45 | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 4.46 | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 4.26 | -4.5% |
| 1972 | 4.02 | -5.6% |
| 1973 | 3.8 | -5.4% |
| 1974 | 3.56 | -6.5% |
| 1975 | 3.31 | -6.8% |
| 1976 | 3.12 | -5.9% |
| 1977 | 2.95 | -5.3% |
| 1978 | 2.7 | -8.6% |
| 1979 | 2.75 | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 2.73 | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 2.67 | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 2.43 | -8.9% |
| 1983 | 2.1 | -13.5% |
| 1984 | 1.83 | -12.8% |
| 1985 | 1.71 | -6.9% |
| 1986 | 1.62 | -4.8% |
| 1987 | 1.57 | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 1.56 | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 1.56 | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 1.6 | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 1.7 | +6.2% |
| 1992 | 1.74 | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 1.68 | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 1.67 | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 1.65 | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 1.6 | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 1.55 | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 1.5 | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 1.47 | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 1.47 | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 1.34 | -8.5% |
| 2002 | 1.23 | -8.6% |
| 2003 | 1.2 | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 1.16 | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 1.11 | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 1.15 | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 1.22 | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 1.19 | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 1.18 | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 1.23 | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 1.26 | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 1.27 | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 1.21 | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 1.2 | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 1.2 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 1.14 | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 1.03 | -9.2% |
| 2018 | 0.951 | -8.1% |
| 2019 | 0.881 | -7.4% |
| 2020 | 0.812 | -7.8% |
| 2021 | 0.783 | -3.6% |
| 2022 | 0.78 | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 0.72 | -7.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.72 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.5, 48% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.72 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.13, 34% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.14 | 6.06 | 6.18 | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.1 | 4.45 | 5.99 | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.49 | 2.7 | 4.46 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.98 | 1.56 | 2.73 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.62 | 1.47 | 1.74 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.22 | 1.11 | 1.47 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.14 | 0.881 | 1.27 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7738 | 0.72 | 0.812 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 231 Puerto Rico 0.941 compare
- 232 Taiwan 0.87 compare
- 233 Saint Barthelemy 0.801 compare
- 235 Hong Kong 0.717 compare
- 236 Macao 0.662 compare
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 children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity in South Korea?
- Children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity in South Korea was 0.72 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 6.18 in 1957.
- What is the lowest children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.72 in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity?
- South Korea ranks 234th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.3%. 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 Children per woman fertility rate vs level of prosperity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).