Population growth rate with and without migration in South Korea
South Korea: Population growth rate with and without migration was -0.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rate with and without migration in South Korea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth rate with and without migration in South Korea is -0.0%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 53.9% on the previous year and down 104.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate with and without migration in South Korea peaked at 3.4% in 1957 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 2021.
South Korea ranks 187th 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.
Population growth rate with and without migration in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.0% | — |
| 1951 | 1.1% | +56000.0% |
| 1952 | 2.5% | +119.8% |
| 1953 | 2.9% | +15.6% |
| 1954 | 3.2% | +12.8% |
| 1955 | 3.3% | +2.7% |
| 1956 | 3.4% | +1.7% |
| 1957 | 3.4% | +1.3% |
| 1958 | 3.4% | -1.3% |
| 1959 | 3.3% | -2.7% |
| 1960 | 3.1% | -5.4% |
| 1961 | 2.5% | -19.6% |
| 1962 | 2.3% | -5.7% |
| 1963 | 2.2% | -4.8% |
| 1964 | 2.0% | -10.9% |
| 1965 | 1.7% | -12.7% |
| 1966 | 2.1% | +18.9% |
| 1967 | 2.2% | +8.8% |
| 1968 | 2.2% | -3.4% |
| 1969 | 2.1% | -1.5% |
| 1970 | 2.1% | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 2.1% | -2.5% |
| 1972 | 2.1% | -2.0% |
| 1973 | 2.0% | -4.1% |
| 1974 | 1.8% | -7.6% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | -18.2% |
| 1976 | 1.3% | -12.3% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | -5.8% |
| 1978 | 1.1% | -7.5% |
| 1979 | 1.2% | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 1.1% | -2.9% |
| 1981 | 1.7% | +54.8% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 1.6% | -7.3% |
| 1984 | 1.4% | -10.4% |
| 1985 | 1.3% | -7.8% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | +12.5% |
| 1987 | 1.4% | -2.5% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 1.4% | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 1.2% | -16.1% |
| 1991 | 0.5% | -60.4% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | +9.8% |
| 1993 | 0.5% | +7.3% |
| 1994 | 0.5% | -0.4% |
| 1995 | 0.5% | -5.2% |
| 1996 | 0.7% | +32.3% |
| 1997 | 0.6% | -4.3% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | -5.9% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | -9.0% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | +6.1% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | -16.9% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -15.7% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | -14.9% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | -16.7% |
| 2006 | 0.4% | +19.7% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | +4.7% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | +7.7% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | +24.8% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | +88.0% |
| 2012 | 1.0% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 0.9% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | -10.5% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -51.6% |
| 2017 | 0.3% | -17.0% |
| 2018 | 0.3% | -19.8% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | -16.1% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -43.8% |
| 2021 | -0.2% | -231.0% |
| 2022 | -0.1% | -46.1% |
| 2023 | -0.0% | -53.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's -0.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's -0.0% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate with and without migration 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | +56000.0% | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| 2021 | -231.0% | 0.1% | -0.2% |
| 1952 | +119.8% | 1.1% | 2.5% |
| 2011 | +88.0% | 0.5% | 1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.6% | 0.0% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.2% | 1.7% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.6% | 1.1% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.4% | 1.1% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.0% | -0.2% | 0.1% | 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)
- World population growth -1.4% (2100)
- Population density 223.86 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 599,530 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.4% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate -0.0908 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate with and without migration in South Korea?
- Population growth rate with and without migration in South Korea was -0.0% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate with and without migration recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 1957.
- What is the lowest population growth rate with and without migration recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 2021.
- How does South Korea rank for population growth rate with and without migration?
- South Korea ranks 187th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate with and without migration rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 104.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate with and without migration. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.