Rank #101 by World Population
🇰🇷Korea, Rep.
Korea, Rep. has a population of 51,712,619, ranking #101 in the world. The capital is Seoul. Located in East Asia & Pacific.
World Bank: High income
51,712,619
Population
#101
World Rank
83.4
Life Expectancy
$35,674
GDP Per Capita
Korea, Rep., #101 by world population
Korea, Rep. Population History (1960-2024)
The country of Korea, Rep. had a population of 25,012,374 in 1960 and 51,751,065 in 2024, a 2.1× growth over 64 years. The peak was 51,836,239 in 2020. Average annual growth rate: 1.15%.
51,751,065
Population (2024)
25,012,374
Population (1960)
51,836,239
Peak (2020)
1.15%
Avg Annual Growth
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 25,012,374 |
| 1961 | 25,765,673 |
| 1962 | 26,513,030 |
| 1963 | 27,261,747 |
| 1964 | 27,984,155 |
| 1965 | 28,704,674 |
| 1966 | 29,435,571 |
| 1967 | 30,130,983 |
| 1968 | 30,838,302 |
| 1969 | 31,544,266 |
| 1970 | 32,240,827 |
| 1971 | 32,882,704 |
| 1972 | 33,505,406 |
| 1973 | 34,103,149 |
| 1974 | 34,692,266 |
| 1975 | 35,280,725 |
| 1976 | 35,848,523 |
| 1977 | 36,411,795 |
| 1978 | 36,969,185 |
| 1979 | 37,534,236 |
| 1980 | 38,123,775 |
| 1981 | 38,723,248 |
| 1982 | 39,326,352 |
| 1983 | 39,910,403 |
| 1984 | 40,405,956 |
| 1985 | 40,805,744 |
| 1986 | 41,213,674 |
| 1987 | 41,621,690 |
| 1988 | 42,031,247 |
| 1989 | 42,449,038 |
| 1990 | 42,869,283 |
| 1991 | 43,295,704 |
| 1992 | 43,747,962 |
| 1993 | 44,194,628 |
| 1994 | 44,641,540 |
| 1995 | 45,092,991 |
| 1996 | 45,524,681 |
| 1997 | 45,953,580 |
| 1998 | 46,286,503 |
| 1999 | 46,616,677 |
| 2000 | 47,008,111 |
| 2001 | 47,370,164 |
| 2002 | 47,644,736 |
| 2003 | 47,892,330 |
| 2004 | 48,082,519 |
| 2005 | 48,184,561 |
| 2006 | 48,438,292 |
| 2007 | 48,683,638 |
| 2008 | 49,054,708 |
| 2009 | 49,307,835 |
| 2010 | 49,554,112 |
| 2011 | 49,936,638 |
| 2012 | 50,199,853 |
| 2013 | 50,428,893 |
| 2014 | 50,746,659 |
| 2015 | 51,014,947 |
| 2016 | 51,217,803 |
| 2017 | 51,361,911 |
| 2018 | 51,585,058 |
| 2019 | 51,764,822 |
| 2020 | 51,836,239 |
| 2021 | 51,769,539 |
| 2022 | 51,672,569 |
| 2023 | 51,712,619 |
| 2024 | 51,751,065 |
Demographics
| Population | 51,712,619 |
| Population Growth Rate | 0.08% |
| Urban Population | 81.2% |
| Fertility Rate | 0.72 births/woman |
| Life Expectancy | 83.4 years |
| Infant Mortality Rate | 2.4 per 1,000 |
| Literacy Rate | - |
Economy & Trade
$35,674
GDP Per Capita
2.7%
Unemployment Rate
High income
Income Level
32.7
Gini Index (inequality)
82.3%
Trade (% of GDP)
2,519,000
Tourism Arrivals
Health & Education
8.6%
Health Expenditure (% GDP)
2.61
Physicians per 1,000
2.4
Infant Mortality (per 1,000)
Development & Connectivity
100.0%
Electricity Access
97.2%
Internet Users
141
Mobile Subs per 100
529.8
People per km2
87,800
Net Migration
Environment
64.1%
Forest Area
Other Countries in East Asia & Pacific
Korea, Rep. in global context
Korea, Rep. is one of 212 countries tracked. See how it ranks globally, regional shares of world population, and projections to 2050 / 2100.
World Population 2026: Top 10 Countries, Regions & Trends →Other related entities
Country rankings
Frequently Asked Questions
Korea, Rep. has a population of 51,712,619, ranking #101 in the world. The annual population growth rate is 0.08%.
Life expectancy in Korea, Rep. is 83.4 years. The infant mortality rate is 2.4 per 1,000 live births.
Korea, Rep.'s GDP per capita is $35,674. It is classified as a high income country by the World Bank.
81.2% of Korea, Rep.'s population lives in urban areas. The overall population density is 529.8 people per square kilometer.
Literacy data for Korea, Rep. is available from the World Bank.
International data from the World Bank Open Data API. Population figures are latest available estimates. GDP per capita in current US dollars.
this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. population demographics dataset. The detail above comes directly from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. states, metros, cities, and ZIPs.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. states, metros, cities, and ZIPs with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.