Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Korea
South Korea: Total population (thousands), per square kilometre was 0.5303 thousands per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
0.5303 thousands per square kilometre
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
22nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
0.5317 thousands per square kilometre
in 2021
All-time low
0.3337 thousands per square kilometre
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Korea, 1970–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in thousands per square kilometre.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 0.5303 thousands per square kilometre for total population (thousands), per square kilometre in 2023.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Korea peaked at 0.5317 thousands per square kilometre in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.3337 thousands per square kilometre, in 1970.
South Korea ranks 22nd of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Korea, year by year
| Year | thousands per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.3337 thousands per square kilometre | — |
| 1971 | 0.341 thousands per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 0.3482 thousands per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 0.3554 thousands per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 0.3625 thousands per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 0.3692 thousands per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 0.3747 thousands per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 0.3796 thousands per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 0.3843 thousands per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 0.3887 thousands per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 0.3932 thousands per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 0.3976 thousands per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 0.4046 thousands per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 0.4114 thousands per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 0.4179 thousands per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 0.4238 thousands per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 0.4293 thousands per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 0.4356 thousands per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 0.4419 thousands per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 0.4481 thousands per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 0.4543 thousands per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 0.4596 thousands per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 0.4618 thousands per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 0.4641 thousands per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 0.4666 thousands per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 0.4691 thousands per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 0.4715 thousands per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 0.4747 thousands per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 0.4778 thousands per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 0.4807 thousands per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 0.4834 thousands per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 0.4848 thousands per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 0.4875 thousands per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 0.4898 thousands per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 0.4918 thousands per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 0.4934 thousands per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 0.4947 thousands per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 0.4962 thousands per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 0.4976 thousands per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 0.4992 thousands per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 0.5005 thousands per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 0.5031 thousands per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 0.5073 thousands per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 0.5115 thousands per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 0.5163 thousands per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 0.521 thousands per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 0.5251 thousands per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 0.5271 thousands per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 0.5288 thousands per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 0.5298 thousands per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 0.531 thousands per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 0.5317 thousands per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 0.5308 thousands per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 0.5303 thousands per square kilometre | -0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.5303 thousands per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1448 thousands per square kilometre, 3.7× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.5303 thousands per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1404 thousands per square kilometre, 3.8× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.3637 thousands per square kilometre | 0.3337 thousands per square kilometre | 0.3887 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4204 thousands per square kilometre | 0.3932 thousands per square kilometre | 0.4481 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.468 thousands per square kilometre | 0.4543 thousands per square kilometre | 0.4807 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4918 thousands per square kilometre | 0.4834 thousands per square kilometre | 0.4992 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5171 thousands per square kilometre | 0.5005 thousands per square kilometre | 0.5298 thousands per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5309 thousands per square kilometre | 0.5303 thousands per square kilometre | 0.5317 thousands per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 19 Lebanon 0.5632 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 20 Rwanda 0.5595 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 21 Netherlands 0.5352 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 23 Burundi 0.5259 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 24 India 0.4815 thousands per square kilometre compare
- 25 Comoros 0.4526 thousands per square kilometre compare
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 total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Korea?
- Total population (thousands), per square kilometre in South Korea was 0.5303 thousands per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest total population (thousands), per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.5317 thousands per square kilometre in 2021.
- What is the lowest total population (thousands), per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3337 thousands per square kilometre in 1970.
- How does South Korea rank for total population (thousands), per square kilometre?
- South Korea ranks 22nd out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total population (thousands), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Total population (thousands), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Total population (thousands) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Total population (thousands) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Total population UNESCO Institute for Statistics
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Total population (thousands) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.