Share of population living in rural areas in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Share of population living in rural areas was 9.9% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of population living in rural areas in Republic of Korea, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in rural areas in Republic of Korea stood at 9.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in rural areas in Republic of Korea peaked at 28.9% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 9.8%, in 2015.
Republic of Korea ranks 205th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in rural areas in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 28.9% | — |
| 1955 | 26.4% | -8.7% |
| 1960 | 22.7% | -14.0% |
| 1965 | 20.1% | -11.4% |
| 1970 | 18.0% | -10.3% |
| 1975 | 16.2% | -10.1% |
| 1980 | 15.5% | -4.3% |
| 1985 | 14.7% | -5.6% |
| 1990 | 13.3% | -9.0% |
| 1995 | 12.3% | -8.1% |
| 2000 | 11.4% | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 10.6% | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 10.0% | -5.6% |
| 2015 | 9.8% | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 9.9% | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 27.7% | 26.4% | 28.9% | 2 |
| 1960s | 21.4% | 20.1% | 22.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 17.1% | 16.2% | 18.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 15.1% | 14.7% | 15.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 12.8% | 12.3% | 13.3% | 2 |
| 2000s | 11.0% | 10.6% | 11.4% | 2 |
| 2010s | 9.9% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 9.9% | 9.9% | 9.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
- 202 Lebanon 10.4% compare
- 203 Saint Martin (French part) 10.3% compare
- 204 Djibouti 10.1% compare
- 206 Western Sahara 9.9% compare
- 207 United Arab Emirates 9.7% compare
- 208 Jersey 9.2% compare
More population data for Republic of 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 share of population living in rural areas in Republic of Korea?
- Share of population living in rural areas in Republic of Korea was 9.9% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in rural areas recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 28.9% in 1950.
- What is the lowest share of population living in rural areas recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.8% in 2015.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for share of population living in rural areas?
- Republic of Korea ranks 205th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in rural areas rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in rural areas. Rural areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.