Population density in South Korea
South Korea: Population density was 223.86 people per km² in 2100. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2100)
223.86 people per km²
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
69th
of 234 countries
All-time high
531.34 people per km²
in 2020
All-time low
16.39 people per km²
in 1000
Years of data
318
1000–2100
Population density in South Korea, 1000–2100
Source: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024); UN FAO (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people per km².
Analysis
South Korea recorded 223.86 people per km² for population density in 2100.
The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in South Korea peaked at 531.34 people per km² in 2020 and was at its lowest, 16.39 people per km², in 1000.
That places South Korea 69th out of 234 countries with data for 2100, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 16.39 people per km² | 16.39 people per km² | 16.39 people per km² | 1 |
| 1100s | 19.67 people per km² | 19.67 people per km² | 19.67 people per km² | 1 |
| 1200s | 26.23 people per km² | 26.23 people per km² | 26.23 people per km² | 1 |
| 1300s | 19.67 people per km² | 19.67 people per km² | 19.67 people per km² | 1 |
| 1400s | 22.95 people per km² | 22.95 people per km² | 22.95 people per km² | 1 |
| 1500s | 26.23 people per km² | 26.23 people per km² | 26.23 people per km² | 1 |
| 1600s | 32.79 people per km² | 32.79 people per km² | 32.79 people per km² | 1 |
| 1700s | 40.98 people per km² | 40.98 people per km² | 40.98 people per km² | 1 |
| 1710s | 45.07 people per km² | 45.07 people per km² | 45.07 people per km² | 1 |
| 1720s | 48.29 people per km² | 48.29 people per km² | 48.29 people per km² | 1 |
| 1730s | 51.73 people per km² | 51.73 people per km² | 51.73 people per km² | 1 |
| 1740s | 55.43 people per km² | 55.43 people per km² | 55.43 people per km² | 1 |
| 1750s | 59.39 people per km² | 59.39 people per km² | 59.39 people per km² | 1 |
| 1760s | 63.63 people per km² | 63.63 people per km² | 63.63 people per km² | 1 |
| 1770s | 68.18 people per km² | 68.18 people per km² | 68.18 people per km² | 1 |
| 1780s | 73.05 people per km² | 73.05 people per km² | 73.05 people per km² | 1 |
| 1790s | 78.26 people per km² | 78.26 people per km² | 78.26 people per km² | 1 |
| 1800s | 96.26 people per km² | 96.26 people per km² | 96.26 people per km² | 10 |
| 1810s | 96.26 people per km² | 96.26 people per km² | 96.27 people per km² | 10 |
| 1820s | 96.49 people per km² | 96.29 people per km² | 96.72 people per km² | 10 |
| 1830s | 97 people per km² | 96.77 people per km² | 97.23 people per km² | 10 |
| 1840s | 97.51 people per km² | 97.28 people per km² | 97.76 people per km² | 10 |
| 1850s | 98.08 people per km² | 97.83 people per km² | 98.36 people per km² | 10 |
| 1860s | 98.7 people per km² | 98.42 people per km² | 98.98 people per km² | 10 |
| 1870s | 99.06 people per km² | 99.02 people per km² | 99.09 people per km² | 10 |
| 1880s | 99.11 people per km² | 99.09 people per km² | 99.13 people per km² | 10 |
| 1890s | 99.15 people per km² | 99.13 people per km² | 99.19 people per km² | 10 |
| 1900s | 99.9 people per km² | 99.26 people per km² | 100.84 people per km² | 10 |
| 1910s | 108.09 people per km² | 101.55 people per km² | 115.61 people per km² | 10 |
| 1920s | 126.51 people per km² | 117.46 people per km² | 135.89 people per km² | 10 |
| 1930s | 145.81 people per km² | 137.87 people per km² | 154.16 people per km² | 10 |
| 1940s | 177.83 people per km² | 157.07 people per km² | 201.09 people per km² | 10 |
| 1950s | 225.9 people per km² | 202.43 people per km² | 259.2 people per km² | 10 |
| 1960s | 297.15 people per km² | 267.58 people per km² | 326.36 people per km² | 10 |
| 1970s | 362.42 people per km² | 333.42 people per km² | 386.38 people per km² | 10 |
| 1980s | 418.47 people per km² | 390.79 people per km² | 445.95 people per km² | 10 |
| 1990s | 464.01 people per km² | 451.65 people per km² | 476.44 people per km² | 10 |
| 2000s | 489 people per km² | 479.17 people per km² | 497.4 people per km² | 10 |
| 2010s | 517.71 people per km² | 499.69 people per km² | 530.41 people per km² | 10 |
| 2020s | 529.18 people per km² | 525.76 people per km² | 531.34 people per km² | 10 |
| 2030s | 515.71 people per km² | 504.63 people per km² | 524.47 people per km² | 10 |
| 2040s | 485.25 people per km² | 467.19 people per km² | 501.52 people per km² | 10 |
| 2050s | 439.04 people per km² | 414.15 people per km² | 462.53 people per km² | 10 |
| 2060s | 383.02 people per km² | 358.32 people per km² | 408.37 people per km² | 10 |
| 2070s | 330.36 people per km² | 308.6 people per km² | 353 people per km² | 10 |
| 2080s | 284.17 people per km² | 264.88 people per km² | 304.01 people per km² | 10 |
| 2090s | 243.4 people per km² | 227.14 people per km² | 260.75 people per km² | 10 |
| 2100s | 223.86 people per km² | 223.86 people per km² | 223.86 people per km² | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More population data for South Korea
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 599,530 people (2100)
- World population growth -1.4% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 0.748 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 4,241 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 0.748 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 0.748 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate -0.2% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 0.72 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate vs. GDP per capita 0.72 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in South Korea?
- Population density in South Korea was 223.86 people per km² in 2100, according to HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024); UN FAO (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population density recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 531.34 people per km² in 2020.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.39 people per km² in 1000.
- How does South Korea rank for population density?
- South Korea ranks 69th out of 234 countries with data for 2100.
- Is population density rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024); UN FAO (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Population density. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population per square kilometer by country, available from 10,000 BCE to 2100, based on data and estimates from different sources.