Share of population living in the capital city in South Korea

South Korea: Share of population living in the capital city was 42.88 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
42.88
World rank
17th
of 170 countries
All-time high
42.88
in 2020
All-time low
13.35
in 1950
Years of data
15
1950–2020

Share of population living in the capital city in South Korea, 1950–2020

102030401950198520201950: 13.41955: 15.61960: 17.81965: 20.71970: 25.21975: 28.11980: 31.91985: 351990: 38.41995: 39.32000: 40.52005: 41.52010: 42.12015: 42.12020: 42.9

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

South Korea recorded 42.88 for share of population living in the capital city in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.

The figure is up 1.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population living in the capital city in South Korea peaked at 42.88 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 13.35, in 1950.

That places South Korea 17th out of 170 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Share of population living in the capital city in South Korea, year by year

Annual values for Share of population living in the capital city in South Korea, 1950 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1950 13.35 —
1955 15.6 +16.8%
1960 17.78 +14.0%
1965 20.75 +16.7%
1970 25.21 +21.5%
1975 28.09 +11.5%
1980 31.92 +13.6%
1985 35 +9.6%
1990 38.37 +9.6%
1995 39.32 +2.5%
2000 40.55 +3.1%
2005 41.51 +2.4%
2010 42.13 +1.5%
2015 42.09 -0.1%
2020 42.88 +1.9%

South Korea compared with similar countries

  • South Korea's 42.88 is above the median for high income countries, which is 17.95, 2.4× the median. (57 countries reporting)
  • South Korea's 42.88 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 22.75, 1.9× the median. (20 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1950s 14.48 13.35 15.6 2
1960s 19.26 17.78 20.75 2
1970s 26.65 25.21 28.09 2
1980s 33.46 31.92 35 2
1990s 38.84 38.37 39.32 2
2000s 41.03 40.55 41.51 2
2010s 42.11 42.09 42.13 2
2020s 42.88 42.88 42.88 1

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 14 Maldives 44.19 compare
  2. 15 Mauritius 43.17 compare
  3. 16 Barbados 43 compare
  4. 18 New Caledonia 42.28 compare
  5. 19 Costa Rica 41.72 compare
  6. 20 Suriname 40.2 compare

See the full ranking of 170 places →

More population data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population living in the capital city in South Korea?
Share of population living in the capital city in South Korea was 42.88 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of population living in the capital city recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 42.88 in 2020.
What is the lowest share of population living in the capital city recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 13.35 in 1950.
How does South Korea rank for share of population living in the capital city?
South Korea ranks 17th out of 170 countries with data for 2020.
Is share of population living in the capital city rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in the capital city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of population living in the capital city in South Korea. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 12 November 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-population-living-in-the-capital-city/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of population living in the capital city
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
170 places, 2,330 data points, 1950–2020
Last refreshed