Population growth rate in South Korea
South Korea: Population growth rate was -0.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rate in South Korea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded -0.0% for population growth rate 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 in South Korea peaked at 3.4% in 1957 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 2021.
That places South Korea 187th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth rate 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 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
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 599,530 people (2100)
- Population density 223.86 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3601 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.1882 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate in South Korea?
- Population growth rate 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 recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 1957.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 2021.
- How does South Korea rank for population growth rate?
- South Korea ranks 187th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate 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. 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.