COUNTRY PROFILESouth Korea
Korea, Rep. · East Asia & Pacific
South Korea's population is 51,684,564 (2025) — the 29th-largest in the world and the 13th-largest in Asia, shrinking by about 66,501 people a year.
51,647,467
Population right now, ticking live from the last confirmed count.▼ shrinking51,684,564 (World Bank, 2025) + −66,501/year × elapsed time since 2025-12-31 — open formula, updates every tick
South Korea Facts at a Glance
Five numbers that summarise the country — population trend, rank, density, wealth, share of humanity.
Population2025
51,684,564
World rank
#29
of 217 tracked geographies
Density
529.6 / km²
97,600 km² land area
GDP / capita
$36,227
#13 economy overall
Share of humanity
1 in 159 people on Earth lives in South Korea
Is South Korea's Population Declining?
Yes. South Korea's population fell by 66,501 people (-0.13%) between 2024 and 2025. The fertility rate is 0.8 births per woman — below the ~2.1 replacement level. Net migration was positive in the latest year on record.
You, in South Korea
A personal read on the numbers above — nothing is stored, it never leaves your browser.
Enter a birth year between 1960 and 2025 to see where you'd land.
South Korea Demographics
Every indicator has its own source and dataset year — shown honestly rather than smoothed into one.
Population density2025
529.6 people / km²
97,600 km² land area, 2025
Median age2025
46.7 years
half the population is older, half younger
Life expectancy2024
83.6 years
M 80.8 · F 86.6
Average height2019
175.5 cm (male)
female 163.2 cm
Homicide rate2023
0.5 per 100,000
#12 safest of 196
Air quality (PM2.5)2023
21.9 µg/m³
lower is cleaner
Urban population2025
81.2 %
share living in cities
Fertility rate2025
0.8 births / woman
replacement level ≈ 2.1
Net migration2025
+65,731 people
positive in latest year
South Korea in World Rankings
Every world ranking we publish, where this country sits in each one, and its overall percentile profile.
Population51,684,564 people
#29 / 217
→
GDP$1.87T
#13 / 186
→
Life expectancy83.6 years
#14 / 217
→
Average height175.5 cm (male)
#69 / 200
→
Cleanest air21.89 µg/m³ PM2.5
#128 / 200
→
Safest countries0.5 homicides / 100k
#12 / 196
→
Most dangerous0.5 homicides / 100k
#184 / 196
→
Percentile in each ranking — further from centre is a higher rank (closer to #1).
Population, 1960 to 2025
66 years of estimates from the same source.
Source: World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL) · annual estimates, 1960–2025 · hover the line for any year.
Age & sex structure
17 five-year bands, male and female, 2025.
Male — 25,783,560Female — 25,901,006
Largest cities
By population, GeoNames city-proper figures (not metro area).
Where is South Korea Located?
- Capital
- Seoul
- Currency
- Won (KRW)
- Language(s)
- Korean, English
- Region
- East Asia & Pacific
- Continent
- 48 countries in Asia →
- Land area
- 97,600 km²
- Area (GeoNames)
- 98,480 km²
- Borders
- 1 country
Shares a border with
North KoreaSouth KoreaVSExplore South Korea in Every Ranking
Jump straight to the full world table for any of these indicators.
Frequently asked
What is the population of South Korea?
South Korea's population is 51,684,564 as of 2025 (World Bank estimate), ranking #29 of 217 countries and territories by population.
How many people live in South Korea?
51,684,564 people, as of the 2025 World Bank estimate — the most recent figure this page tracks.
What is South Korea's population density?
529.6 people per km², based on a land area of 97,600 km².
What is South Korea ranked in population worldwide?
#29 of 217 countries and territories by population — see the full ranking table for every country's position.
What is the life expectancy in South Korea?
83.6 years on average (2024) — 80.8 for men, 86.6 for women.
What is South Korea's GDP?
$1.87T, ranking #13 of 186 economies we track — $36,227 per capita.
Is South Korea's population declining?
Yes. South Korea's population has been shrinking, falling by 66,501 people (-0.13%) between 2024 and 2025.
Sources
World Bank Open Data
CC BY 4.0 · population, GDP, life expectancy, homicide, PM2.5, vitals
data.worldbank.org →