Natural population growth in South Korea
South Korea: Natural population growth was -0.2109 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
-0.2109
Change on year
up 18.5%
World rank
203rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
2.92
in 1959
All-time low
-0.7401
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Natural population growth in South Korea, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Korea recorded -0.2109 for natural population growth in 2023.
That represents a change of up 18.5% on the previous year and down 163.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, natural population growth in South Korea peaked at 2.92 in 1959 and was at its lowest, -0.7401, in 1950.
South Korea ranks 203rd 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.
Natural population growth in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -0.7401 | — |
| 1951 | 0.2866 | -138.7% |
| 1952 | 1.61 | +461.9% |
| 1953 | 2.03 | +25.8% |
| 1954 | 2.45 | +21.2% |
| 1955 | 2.62 | +6.7% |
| 1956 | 2.75 | +5.1% |
| 1957 | 2.86 | +3.9% |
| 1958 | 2.88 | +0.6% |
| 1959 | 2.92 | +1.5% |
| 1960 | 2.91 | -0.3% |
| 1961 | 2.83 | -2.6% |
| 1962 | 2.69 | -5.2% |
| 1963 | 2.52 | -6.4% |
| 1964 | 2.34 | -6.9% |
| 1965 | 2.23 | -4.7% |
| 1966 | 2.12 | -5.2% |
| 1967 | 2.3 | +8.4% |
| 1968 | 2.22 | -3.4% |
| 1969 | 2.2 | -0.8% |
| 1970 | 2.23 | +1.5% |
| 1971 | 2.11 | -5.4% |
| 1972 | 1.98 | -6.4% |
| 1973 | 1.87 | -5.7% |
| 1974 | 1.74 | -6.6% |
| 1975 | 1.63 | -6.3% |
| 1976 | 1.56 | -4.6% |
| 1977 | 1.48 | -5.4% |
| 1978 | 1.37 | -7.3% |
| 1979 | 1.52 | +11.3% |
| 1980 | 1.51 | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.68 | +11.7% |
| 1982 | 1.56 | -7.1% |
| 1983 | 1.31 | -16.3% |
| 1984 | 1.15 | -11.9% |
| 1985 | 1.05 | -8.5% |
| 1986 | 1 | -5.2% |
| 1987 | 0.9501 | -5.0% |
| 1988 | 0.953 | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 0.9555 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 0.9801 | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 1.07 | +9.0% |
| 1992 | 1.1 | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 1.04 | -5.6% |
| 1994 | 1 | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 0.9709 | -2.9% |
| 1996 | 0.9296 | -4.3% |
| 1997 | 0.8843 | -4.9% |
| 1998 | 0.8211 | -7.1% |
| 1999 | 0.7847 | -4.4% |
| 2000 | 0.77 | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 0.6516 | -15.4% |
| 2002 | 0.5305 | -18.6% |
| 2003 | 0.4826 | -9.0% |
| 2004 | 0.4426 | -8.3% |
| 2005 | 0.3937 | -11.0% |
| 2006 | 0.4116 | +4.5% |
| 2007 | 0.449 | +9.1% |
| 2008 | 0.4184 | -6.8% |
| 2009 | 0.3963 | -5.3% |
| 2010 | 0.401 | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 0.4052 | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 0.3891 | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 0.3322 | -14.6% |
| 2014 | 0.3155 | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 0.286 | -9.4% |
| 2016 | 0.2223 | -22.3% |
| 2017 | 0.1306 | -41.3% |
| 2018 | 0.0383 | -70.7% |
| 2019 | -0.0246 | -164.2% |
| 2020 | -0.0912 | +270.7% |
| 2021 | -0.1326 | +45.4% |
| 2022 | -0.2589 | +95.2% |
| 2023 | -0.2109 | -18.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's -0.2109 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.1118. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's -0.2109 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.8367. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Natural population growth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | +461.9% | 0.2866 | 1.61 |
| 2020 | -270.7% | -0.0246 | -0.0912 |
| 2019 | -164.2% | 0.0383 | -0.0246 |
| 1951 | +138.7% | -0.7401 | 0.2866 |
| 2022 | -95.2% | -0.1326 | -0.2589 |
| 2018 | -70.7% | 0.1306 | 0.0383 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.97 | -0.7401 | 2.92 | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.44 | 2.12 | 2.91 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.75 | 1.37 | 2.23 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.21 | 0.9501 | 1.68 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9577 | 0.7847 | 1.1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4946 | 0.3937 | 0.77 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2496 | -0.0246 | 0.4052 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.1734 | -0.2589 | -0.0912 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
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 natural population growth in South Korea?
- Natural population growth in South Korea was -0.2109 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest natural population growth recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.92 in 1959.
- What is the lowest natural population growth recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.7401 in 1950.
- How does South Korea rank for natural population growth?
- South Korea ranks 203rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is natural population growth rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 163.5%. 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 Natural population growth. 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).