Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in South Korea
South Korea: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate was -0.0908 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-0.0908 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 63.6%
World rank
191st
of 234 countries
All-time high
8.26 % change on previous year
in 1969
All-time low
-0.1259 % change on previous year
in 2022
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in South Korea, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
In 2025, number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in South Korea stood at -0.0908 % change on previous year.
The figure is down 63.6% on the previous year and down 111.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in South Korea peaked at 8.26 % change on previous year in 1969 and was at its lowest, -0.1259 % change on previous year, in 2022.
That places South Korea 191st out of 234 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.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 4.46 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 5.53 % change on previous year | +24.1% |
| 1953 | 6.23 % change on previous year | +12.7% |
| 1954 | 6.43 % change on previous year | +3.3% |
| 1955 | 6.5 % change on previous year | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 6.32 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 1957 | 6.11 % change on previous year | -3.4% |
| 1958 | 5.98 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1959 | 5.93 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1960 | 5.95 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1961 | 5.66 % change on previous year | -4.9% |
| 1962 | 5.27 % change on previous year | -6.8% |
| 1963 | 5.2 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 1964 | 5.18 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 5.19 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 5.55 % change on previous year | +7.0% |
| 1967 | 6.67 % change on previous year | +20.1% |
| 1968 | 8.07 % change on previous year | +21.0% |
| 1969 | 8.26 % change on previous year | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 7.44 % change on previous year | -10.0% |
| 1971 | 6.26 % change on previous year | -15.9% |
| 1972 | 5.57 % change on previous year | -11.0% |
| 1973 | 5.2 % change on previous year | -6.8% |
| 1974 | 4.99 % change on previous year | -4.0% |
| 1975 | 4.85 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 1976 | 4.8 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 4.81 % change on previous year | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 4.73 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 1979 | 4.59 % change on previous year | -3.0% |
| 1980 | 4.38 % change on previous year | -4.5% |
| 1981 | 4.44 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 4.54 % change on previous year | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 4.34 % change on previous year | -4.4% |
| 1984 | 4.14 % change on previous year | -4.6% |
| 1985 | 4 % change on previous year | -3.4% |
| 1986 | 4.17 % change on previous year | +4.4% |
| 1987 | 4.47 % change on previous year | +7.2% |
| 1988 | 4.42 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 4.1 % change on previous year | -7.1% |
| 1990 | 3.4 % change on previous year | -17.0% |
| 1991 | 2.41 % change on previous year | -29.1% |
| 1992 | 1.87 % change on previous year | -22.6% |
| 1993 | 1.73 % change on previous year | -7.5% |
| 1994 | 1.52 % change on previous year | -12.0% |
| 1995 | 1.23 % change on previous year | -19.3% |
| 1996 | 1.05 % change on previous year | -14.7% |
| 1997 | 0.9716 % change on previous year | -7.0% |
| 1998 | 0.8713 % change on previous year | -10.3% |
| 1999 | 0.813 % change on previous year | -6.7% |
| 2000 | 0.8484 % change on previous year | +4.4% |
| 2001 | 0.9695 % change on previous year | +14.3% |
| 2002 | 1.04 % change on previous year | +7.7% |
| 2003 | 0.9942 % change on previous year | -4.8% |
| 2004 | 0.8783 % change on previous year | -11.7% |
| 2005 | 0.6775 % change on previous year | -22.9% |
| 2006 | 0.541 % change on previous year | -20.2% |
| 2007 | 0.5368 % change on previous year | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 0.5212 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 0.5029 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 0.5127 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 0.7262 % change on previous year | +41.6% |
| 2012 | 0.8955 % change on previous year | +23.3% |
| 2013 | 0.8499 % change on previous year | -5.1% |
| 2014 | 0.8169 % change on previous year | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 0.7665 % change on previous year | -6.2% |
| 2016 | 0.5127 % change on previous year | -33.1% |
| 2017 | 0.2629 % change on previous year | -48.7% |
| 2018 | 0.1912 % change on previous year | -27.3% |
| 2019 | 0.1321 % change on previous year | -30.9% |
| 2020 | 0.0345 % change on previous year | -73.9% |
| 2021 | -0.0371 % change on previous year | -207.5% |
| 2022 | -0.1259 % change on previous year | +239.9% |
| 2023 | -0.0628 % change on previous year | -50.1% |
| 2024 | -0.0555 % change on previous year | -11.7% |
| 2025 | -0.0908 % change on previous year | +63.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's -0.0908 % change on previous year is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.4434 % change on previous year. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's -0.0908 % change on previous year is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.8009 % change on previous year. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 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 | -239.9% | -0.0371 % change on previous year | -0.1259 % change on previous year |
| 2021 | -207.5% | 0.0345 % change on previous year | -0.0371 % change on previous year |
| 2020 | -73.9% | 0.1321 % change on previous year | 0.0345 % change on previous year |
| 2025 | -63.6% | -0.0555 % change on previous year | -0.0908 % change on previous year |
| 2023 | +50.1% | -0.1259 % change on previous year | -0.0628 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 5.94 % change on previous year | 4.46 % change on previous year | 6.5 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 6.1 % change on previous year | 5.18 % change on previous year | 8.26 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.32 % change on previous year | 4.59 % change on previous year | 7.44 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.3 % change on previous year | 4 % change on previous year | 4.54 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.59 % change on previous year | 0.813 % change on previous year | 3.4 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7514 % change on previous year | 0.5029 % change on previous year | 1.04 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5667 % change on previous year | 0.1321 % change on previous year | 0.8955 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.0563 % change on previous year | -0.1259 % change on previous year | 0.0345 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 188 Jordan -0.0009 % change on previous year compare
- 189 Jersey -0.049 % change on previous year compare
- 190 Palau -0.087 % change on previous year compare
- 192 Isle of Man -0.1027 % change on previous year compare
- 193 Puerto Rico -0.1217 % change on previous year compare
- 194 Bermuda -0.1269 % change on previous year 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 number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in South Korea?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate in South Korea was -0.0908 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 8.26 % change on previous year in 1969.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.1259 % change on previous year in 2022.
- How does South Korea rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate?
- South Korea ranks 191st out of 234 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 111.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Urban and rural population Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.