Population · Asia
South Korea population 2026
Right now · estimate
South Korea population right now
51,572,356
- Births today
- 0
- Deaths today
- 0
- Births this year
- 209,404
- Births minus deaths this year
- -113,950
South Korea has an estimated 51,600,388 people on 1 July 2026, the UN's projection, 66,641 fewer than a year earlier (−0.13%). It is the 31st most populous country in the world. Its population peaked in 2020 at 51.9 million and is projected to fall to 45.1 million by 2050.
UN projection The counter interpolates the UN’s 1 July figures to the second; it is an estimate, not a count.
South Korea in numbers, 2026
- Births in 2026
- 250 thousand 683 a day
- Deaths in 2026
- 385 thousand 1,055 a day
- Net migration
- +63 thousand more arrivals than departures
- Growth rate
- −0.14% shrinking
- Fertility rate
- 0.76per woman below replacement (2.1)
- Median age
- 46.2years world: 31.1
- Life expectancy
- 84.6years
- Aged 65 and over
- 21.4% 39.7% by 2050
Land, people and health
- Capital
- Seoul
- Area
- 98,480 km² 109th largest of 237
- Population density
- 522per km² 28th most crowded
- Urban population
- 81.2% 83.3% by 2050
- Men and women
- 25.7 million / 25.9 million 99.4 men per 100 women
- Life expectancy, women
- 87.5years men: 81.6 years
- Infant mortality
- 1.9per 1,000 births under-5: 2.5
- Birth rate
- 4.8per 1,000 death rate: 7.5
- Net migration rate
- +1.2per 1,000 net arrivals
Population of South Korea, 1950–2100
Peaked in 2020 at 51.9 million. By 2050: 45.1 million (−12.5% from today).
- UN estimate
- UN projection
21.8M 2026
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 19,757,321 |
| 1951 | 19,868,990 |
| 1952 | 20,229,879 |
| 1953 | 20,775,325 |
| 1954 | 21,415,573 |
| 1955 | 22,125,103 |
| 1956 | 22,874,434 |
| 1957 | 23,660,791 |
| 1958 | 24,473,927 |
| 1959 | 25,298,233 |
| 1960 | 26,115,379 |
| 1961 | 26,852,951 |
| 1962 | 27,509,237 |
| 1963 | 28,145,540 |
| 1964 | 28,744,977 |
| 1965 | 29,284,338 |
| 1966 | 29,845,941 |
| 1967 | 30,495,728 |
| 1968 | 31,175,290 |
| 1969 | 31,852,761 |
| 1970 | 32,542,197 |
| 1971 | 33,239,853 |
| 1972 | 33,936,466 |
| 1973 | 34,625,849 |
| 1974 | 35,287,837 |
| 1975 | 35,875,742 |
| 1976 | 36,379,925 |
| 1977 | 36,843,637 |
| 1978 | 37,281,935 |
| 1979 | 37,710,899 |
| 1980 | 38,141,106 |
| 1981 | 38,689,189 |
| 1982 | 39,356,154 |
| 1983 | 40,000,941 |
| 1984 | 40,598,300 |
| 1985 | 41,148,963 |
| 1986 | 41,718,505 |
| 1987 | 42,322,092 |
| 1988 | 42,922,977 |
| 1989 | 43,524,767 |
| 1990 | 44,081,427 |
| 1991 | 44,439,150 |
| 1992 | 44,653,695 |
| 1993 | 44,887,724 |
| 1994 | 45,130,840 |
| 1995 | 45,368,425 |
| 1996 | 45,638,700 |
| 1997 | 45,941,537 |
| 1998 | 46,230,878 |
| 1999 | 46,500,383 |
| 2000 | 46,766,661 |
| 2001 | 47,043,468 |
| 2002 | 47,299,120 |
| 2003 | 47,514,160 |
| 2004 | 47,697,076 |
| 2005 | 47,851,644 |
| 2006 | 48,006,518 |
| 2007 | 48,178,118 |
| 2008 | 48,356,493 |
| 2009 | 48,546,687 |
| 2010 | 48,769,332 |
| 2011 | 49,127,644 |
| 2012 | 49,599,580 |
| 2013 | 50,071,164 |
| 2014 | 50,539,056 |
| 2015 | 50,983,912 |
| 2016 | 51,297,839 |
| 2017 | 51,486,270 |
| 2018 | 51,640,894 |
| 2019 | 51,767,846 |
| 2020 | 51,858,482 |
| 2021 | 51,848,398 |
| 2022 | 51,782,512 |
| 2023 | 51,748,739 |
| 2024 * | 51,717,590 |
| 2025 * | 51,667,029 |
| 2026 * | 51,600,388 |
| 2027 * | 51,518,845 |
| 2028 * | 51,423,430 |
| 2029 * | 51,314,016 |
| 2030 * | 51,188,584 |
| 2031 * | 51,048,174 |
| 2032 * | 50,891,289 |
| 2033 * | 50,714,304 |
| 2034 * | 50,516,809 |
| 2035 * | 50,300,733 |
| 2036 * | 50,066,544 |
| 2037 * | 49,813,426 |
| 2038 * | 49,541,158 |
| 2039 * | 49,251,889 |
| 2040 * | 48,948,687 |
| 2041 * | 48,630,433 |
| 2042 * | 48,299,744 |
| 2043 * | 47,959,040 |
| 2044 * | 47,603,366 |
| 2045 * | 47,232,956 |
| 2046 * | 46,850,899 |
| 2047 * | 46,452,061 |
| 2048 * | 46,033,794 |
| 2049 * | 45,597,294 |
| 2050 * | 45,143,134 |
| 2051 * | 44,671,150 |
| 2052 * | 44,178,842 |
| 2053 * | 43,672,043 |
| 2054 * | 43,157,452 |
| 2055 * | 42,632,670 |
| 2056 * | 42,095,098 |
| 2057 * | 41,545,089 |
| 2058 * | 40,984,543 |
| 2059 * | 40,421,032 |
| 2060 * | 39,857,228 |
| 2061 * | 39,296,690 |
| 2062 * | 38,739,045 |
| 2063 * | 38,183,167 |
| 2064 * | 37,632,823 |
| 2065 * | 37,088,067 |
| 2066 * | 36,550,312 |
| 2067 * | 36,018,518 |
| 2068 * | 35,493,421 |
| 2069 * | 34,971,814 |
| 2070 * | 34,452,987 |
| 2071 * | 33,941,698 |
| 2072 * | 33,438,135 |
| 2073 * | 32,943,024 |
| 2074 * | 32,455,482 |
| 2075 * | 31,974,833 |
| 2076 * | 31,501,188 |
| 2077 * | 31,033,654 |
| 2078 * | 30,572,950 |
| 2079 * | 30,119,415 |
| 2080 * | 29,671,508 |
| 2081 * | 29,227,156 |
| 2082 * | 28,788,346 |
| 2083 * | 28,355,718 |
| 2084 * | 27,928,602 |
| 2085 * | 27,505,925 |
| 2086 * | 27,086,569 |
| 2087 * | 26,670,753 |
| 2088 * | 26,258,922 |
| 2089 * | 25,851,776 |
| 2090 * | 25,449,094 |
| 2091 * | 25,051,893 |
| 2092 * | 24,660,821 |
| 2093 * | 24,277,125 |
| 2094 * | 23,902,073 |
| 2095 * | 23,535,546 |
| 2096 * | 23,179,092 |
| 2097 * | 22,833,463 |
| 2098 * | 22,496,481 |
| 2099 * | 22,168,455 |
| 2100 * | 21,848,791 |
* UN projection
Population of South Korea by year
46.8 million in 2000, 51.6 million in 2026. Every year for the last decade, then every five years to 1950. * UN projection; earlier years are UN estimates.
| Year | Population | Yearly change | Change | Net migrants | Median age | Fertility | Density (km²) | Urban | World share | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 51,600,388 | −0.13% | −66,641 | +62,644 | 46.2 | 0.76 | 522 | 81% | 0.62% | 31 |
| 2025* | 51,667,029 | −0.10% | −50,561 | +65,731 | 45.6 | 0.75 | 522 | 81% | 0.63% | 29 |
| 2024* | 51,717,590 | −0.06% | −31,149 | +75,963 | 45.0 | 0.73 | 523 | 81% | 0.63% | 29 |
| 2023 | 51,748,739 | −0.07% | −33,773 | +87,800 | 44.5 | 0.72 | 523 | 81% | 0.64% | 29 |
| 2022 | 51,782,512 | −0.13% | −65,886 | +87,800 | 43.9 | 0.78 | 523 | 81% | 0.65% | 28 |
| 2021 | 51,848,398 | −0.02% | −10,084 | −16,778 | 43.4 | 0.78 | 524 | 81% | 0.65% | 28 |
| 2020 | 51,858,482 | +0.18% | +90,636 | +112,631 | 42.8 | 0.81 | 524 | 81% | 0.66% | 28 |
| 2019 | 51,767,846 | +0.25% | +126,952 | +128,622 | 42.2 | 0.88 | 523 | 81% | 0.66% | 27 |
| 2018 | 51,640,894 | +0.30% | +154,624 | +118,220 | 41.6 | 0.95 | 522 | 81% | 0.67% | 27 |
| 2017 | 51,486,270 | +0.37% | +188,431 | +104,029 | 41.1 | 1.04 | 520 | 82% | 0.67% | 27 |
| 2016 | 51,297,839 | +0.62% | +313,927 | +91,568 | 40.5 | 1.14 | 518 | 82% | 0.68% | 27 |
| 2015 | 50,983,912 | +0.88% | +444,856 | +276,427 | 39.9 | 1.20 | 515 | 82% | 0.68% | 27 |
| 2010 | 48,769,332 | +0.46% | +222,645 | +52,042 | 36.6 | 1.23 | 493 | 82% | 0.69% | 26 |
| 2005 | 47,851,644 | +0.32% | +154,568 | −47,821 | 33.6 | 1.12 | 484 | 81% | 0.73% | 25 |
| 2000 | 46,766,661 | +0.57% | +266,278 | −84,960 | 30.7 | 1.47 | 473 | 80% | 0.76% | 26 |
| 1995 | 45,368,425 | +0.53% | +237,585 | −208,491 | 28.3 | 1.65 | 459 | 78% | 0.79% | 24 |
| 1990 | 44,081,427 | +1.28% | +556,660 | +79,294 | 25.8 | 1.60 | 446 | 74% | 0.83% | 24 |
| 1985 | 41,148,963 | +1.36% | +550,663 | +97,949 | 23.3 | 1.71 | 416 | 65% | 0.85% | 23 |
| 1980 | 38,141,106 | +1.14% | +430,207 | −148,341 | 20.9 | 2.73 | 385 | 57% | 0.86% | 23 |
| 1975 | 35,875,742 | +1.67% | +587,905 | −52,332 | 18.8 | 3.31 | 363 | 48% | 0.88% | 22 |
| 1970 | 32,542,197 | +2.16% | +689,436 | −27,999 | 17.7 | 4.46 | 329 | 41% | 0.88% | 24 |
| 1965 | 29,284,338 | +1.88% | +539,361 | −146,386 | 17.5 | 4.89 | 296 | 32% | 0.88% | 24 |
| 1960 | 26,115,379 | +3.23% | +817,146 | +47,245 | 18.3 | 5.99 | 264 | 28% | 0.87% | 24 |
| 1955 | 22,125,103 | +3.31% | +709,530 | +151,123 | 17.9 | 6.17 | 224 | 24% | 0.81% | 24 |
| 1950 | 19,757,321 | – | – | +146,698 | 17.7 | 6.06 | 200 | 21% | 0.79% | 23 |
Population forecast for South Korea
UN medium-variant projection: 45.1 million in 2050 (−12.5% from 2026), 21.8 million in 2100.
| Year | Population | Yearly change | Net migrants | Median age | Fertility | Density (km²) | Urban | World share | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 51,188,584 | −0.24% | +47,022 | 48.5 | 0.81 | 517 | 81% | 0.60% | 32 |
| 2035 | 50,300,733 | −0.43% | +31,740 | 51.2 | 0.88 | 508 | 81% | 0.57% | 36 |
| 2040 | 48,948,687 | −0.62% | +19,948 | 53.3 | 0.93 | 495 | 82% | 0.53% | 37 |
| 2045 | 47,232,956 | −0.78% | +17,890 | 55.0 | 0.98 | 477 | 82% | 0.50% | 43 |
| 2050 | 45,143,134 | −1.00% | +15,924 | 56.7 | 1.03 | 456 | 83% | 0.47% | 47 |
| 2060 | 39,857,228 | −1.39% | +540 | 60.1 | 1.10 | 403 | – | 0.40% | 57 |
| 2070 | 34,452,987 | −1.48% | +3,115 | 61.5 | 1.16 | 348 | – | 0.34% | 60 |
| 2080 | 29,671,508 | −1.49% | +2,842 | 63.0 | 1.21 | 300 | – | 0.29% | 67 |
| 2090 | 25,449,094 | −1.56% | −50 | 61.2 | 1.26 | 257 | – | 0.25% | 68 |
| 2100 | 21,848,791 | −1.44% | −554 | 59.8 | 1.30 | 221 | – | 0.21% | 72 |
Largest cities in South Korea
Urban area in 2026: the whole built-up city, measured the same way for every country (UN, 2025). * UN projection. Largest cities in the world
| # | City | Population 2026 | 2050* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seoul (capital) | 22,517,764 | 21,225,404 |
| 2 | Busan | 3,248,254 | 2,742,944 |
| 3 | Daegu | 2,323,365 | 1,968,877 |
| 4 | Daejeon | 1,513,768 | 1,353,972 |
| 5 | Gwangju | 1,438,457 | 1,297,682 |
| 6 | Ulsan | 877,731 | 723,568 |
| 7 | Cheongju-si | 686,911 | 612,122 |
| 8 | Changwon | 662,616 | 547,493 |
| 9 | Jeonju | 635,365 | 570,907 |
| 10 | Cheonan-si | 427,478 | 383,153 |
Age structure
Median age 46.2. 21.4% are 65 or older, 39.7% by 2050; 9.8% are under 15.
Share of the total population in each age group (%)
Births per woman
0.76 in 2026; about 2.1 keeps a population stable without migration. Below 2.1 since 1984.
- UN estimate
- UN projection
1.3 2026
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | Fertility rate |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.06 |
| 1951 | 6.09 |
| 1952 | 6.12 |
| 1953 | 6.17 |
| 1954 | 6.17 |
| 1955 | 6.17 |
| 1956 | 6.17 |
| 1957 | 6.18 |
| 1958 | 6.15 |
| 1959 | 6.10 |
| 1960 | 5.99 |
| 1961 | 5.80 |
| 1962 | 5.56 |
| 1963 | 5.33 |
| 1964 | 5.07 |
| 1965 | 4.89 |
| 1966 | 4.78 |
| 1967 | 4.61 |
| 1968 | 4.51 |
| 1969 | 4.45 |
| 1970 | 4.46 |
| 1971 | 4.26 |
| 1972 | 4.02 |
| 1973 | 3.80 |
| 1974 | 3.56 |
| 1975 | 3.31 |
| 1976 | 3.12 |
| 1977 | 2.95 |
| 1978 | 2.70 |
| 1979 | 2.75 |
| 1980 | 2.73 |
| 1981 | 2.67 |
| 1982 | 2.43 |
| 1983 | 2.10 |
| 1984 | 1.83 |
| 1985 | 1.71 |
| 1986 | 1.62 |
| 1987 | 1.57 |
| 1988 | 1.56 |
| 1989 | 1.56 |
| 1990 | 1.60 |
| 1991 | 1.70 |
| 1992 | 1.74 |
| 1993 | 1.68 |
| 1994 | 1.67 |
| 1995 | 1.65 |
| 1996 | 1.60 |
| 1997 | 1.56 |
| 1998 | 1.50 |
| 1999 | 1.47 |
| 2000 | 1.47 |
| 2001 | 1.34 |
| 2002 | 1.23 |
| 2003 | 1.20 |
| 2004 | 1.16 |
| 2005 | 1.12 |
| 2006 | 1.14 |
| 2007 | 1.22 |
| 2008 | 1.19 |
| 2009 | 1.18 |
| 2010 | 1.23 |
| 2011 | 1.26 |
| 2012 | 1.27 |
| 2013 | 1.21 |
| 2014 | 1.20 |
| 2015 | 1.20 |
| 2016 | 1.14 |
| 2017 | 1.04 |
| 2018 | 0.95 |
| 2019 | 0.88 |
| 2020 | 0.81 |
| 2021 | 0.78 |
| 2022 | 0.78 |
| 2023 | 0.72 |
| 2024 * | 0.73 |
| 2025 * | 0.75 |
| 2026 * | 0.76 |
| 2027 * | 0.78 |
| 2028 * | 0.79 |
| 2029 * | 0.80 |
| 2030 * | 0.81 |
| 2031 * | 0.83 |
| 2032 * | 0.84 |
| 2033 * | 0.85 |
| 2034 * | 0.86 |
| 2035 * | 0.88 |
| 2036 * | 0.89 |
| 2037 * | 0.90 |
| 2038 * | 0.91 |
| 2039 * | 0.92 |
| 2040 * | 0.93 |
| 2041 * | 0.94 |
| 2042 * | 0.95 |
| 2043 * | 0.96 |
| 2044 * | 0.97 |
| 2045 * | 0.98 |
| 2046 * | 0.99 |
| 2047 * | 1.00 |
| 2048 * | 1.01 |
| 2049 * | 1.02 |
| 2050 * | 1.03 |
| 2051 * | 1.03 |
| 2052 * | 1.04 |
| 2053 * | 1.05 |
| 2054 * | 1.06 |
| 2055 * | 1.06 |
| 2056 * | 1.07 |
| 2057 * | 1.08 |
| 2058 * | 1.09 |
| 2059 * | 1.09 |
| 2060 * | 1.10 |
| 2061 * | 1.11 |
| 2062 * | 1.11 |
| 2063 * | 1.12 |
| 2064 * | 1.12 |
| 2065 * | 1.13 |
| 2066 * | 1.14 |
| 2067 * | 1.14 |
| 2068 * | 1.15 |
| 2069 * | 1.16 |
| 2070 * | 1.16 |
| 2071 * | 1.17 |
| 2072 * | 1.17 |
| 2073 * | 1.18 |
| 2074 * | 1.19 |
| 2075 * | 1.19 |
| 2076 * | 1.20 |
| 2077 * | 1.20 |
| 2078 * | 1.20 |
| 2079 * | 1.21 |
| 2080 * | 1.21 |
| 2081 * | 1.22 |
| 2082 * | 1.22 |
| 2083 * | 1.23 |
| 2084 * | 1.23 |
| 2085 * | 1.24 |
| 2086 * | 1.24 |
| 2087 * | 1.25 |
| 2088 * | 1.25 |
| 2089 * | 1.25 |
| 2090 * | 1.26 |
| 2091 * | 1.26 |
| 2092 * | 1.27 |
| 2093 * | 1.27 |
| 2094 * | 1.28 |
| 2095 * | 1.28 |
| 2096 * | 1.28 |
| 2097 * | 1.28 |
| 2098 * | 1.29 |
| 2099 * | 1.29 |
| 2100 * | 1.30 |
* UN projection
Births and deaths each year
Deaths have outnumbered births since 2019.
- Births
- Deaths
- UN estimate
- UN projection
119k435k 2026
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | Births | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 784,803 | 931,034 |
| 1951 | 811,470 | 754,519 |
| 1952 | 842,481 | 516,717 |
| 1953 | 879,007 | 458,268 |
| 1954 | 910,760 | 385,241 |
| 1955 | 942,519 | 363,086 |
| 1956 | 977,327 | 347,712 |
| 1957 | 1,016,567 | 339,825 |
| 1958 | 1,051,167 | 347,167 |
| 1959 | 1,080,156 | 341,562 |
| 1960 | 1,098,755 | 338,650 |
| 1961 | 1,096,972 | 335,992 |
| 1962 | 1,072,152 | 332,766 |
| 1963 | 1,046,854 | 338,798 |
| 1964 | 1,011,083 | 337,758 |
| 1965 | 988,466 | 334,413 |
| 1966 | 978,557 | 346,334 |
| 1967 | 961,491 | 260,965 |
| 1968 | 958,414 | 266,460 |
| 1969 | 965,717 | 264,694 |
| 1970 | 987,604 | 260,575 |
| 1971 | 961,733 | 259,117 |
| 1972 | 928,258 | 256,711 |
| 1973 | 900,511 | 254,440 |
| 1974 | 868,320 | 253,200 |
| 1975 | 838,408 | 252,398 |
| 1976 | 819,505 | 252,496 |
| 1977 | 807,976 | 264,507 |
| 1978 | 772,737 | 263,169 |
| 1979 | 823,277 | 249,629 |
| 1980 | 853,589 | 278,898 |
| 1981 | 895,271 | 243,913 |
| 1982 | 868,685 | 253,202 |
| 1983 | 790,777 | 267,484 |
| 1984 | 717,482 | 249,618 |
| 1985 | 686,800 | 252,680 |
| 1986 | 667,624 | 250,397 |
| 1987 | 656,703 | 254,590 |
| 1988 | 657,214 | 248,150 |
| 1989 | 663,912 | 248,052 |
| 1990 | 684,376 | 252,318 |
| 1991 | 729,680 | 254,828 |
| 1992 | 739,339 | 248,496 |
| 1993 | 711,775 | 245,924 |
| 1994 | 704,169 | 252,682 |
| 1995 | 692,785 | 252,294 |
| 1996 | 672,524 | 248,261 |
| 1997 | 653,059 | 246,809 |
| 1998 | 624,901 | 245,301 |
| 1999 | 607,708 | 242,813 |
| 2000 | 599,446 | 239,373 |
| 2001 | 541,042 | 234,534 |
| 2002 | 489,165 | 238,260 |
| 2003 | 472,791 | 243,513 |
| 2004 | 455,459 | 244,365 |
| 2005 | 432,815 | 244,403 |
| 2006 | 440,301 | 242,709 |
| 2007 | 462,242 | 245,910 |
| 2008 | 447,507 | 245,168 |
| 2009 | 437,242 | 244,868 |
| 2010 | 449,665 | 254,109 |
| 2011 | 455,314 | 256,249 |
| 2012 | 460,037 | 267,039 |
| 2013 | 433,882 | 267,513 |
| 2014 | 427,701 | 268,255 |
| 2015 | 424,787 | 278,964 |
| 2016 | 397,938 | 283,904 |
| 2017 | 356,023 | 288,803 |
| 2018 | 322,572 | 302,790 |
| 2019 | 295,280 | 307,997 |
| 2020 | 270,034 | 317,301 |
| 2021 | 259,300 | 328,052 |
| 2022 | 256,588 | 390,625 |
| 2023 | 236,394 | 345,502 |
| 2024 * | 240,982 | 357,948 |
| 2025 * | 245,858 | 371,713 |
| 2026 * | 249,556 | 385,355 |
| 2027 * | 253,247 | 398,774 |
| 2028 * | 256,007 | 411,868 |
| 2029 * | 257,327 | 424,931 |
| 2030 * | 257,973 | 437,931 |
| 2031 * | 257,078 | 450,504 |
| 2032 * | 254,492 | 462,864 |
| 2033 * | 251,858 | 475,605 |
| 2034 * | 247,901 | 488,695 |
| 2035 * | 244,688 | 501,680 |
| 2036 * | 241,459 | 514,208 |
| 2037 * | 239,072 | 527,026 |
| 2038 * | 236,943 | 539,764 |
| 2039 * | 236,084 | 552,389 |
| 2040 * | 236,072 | 565,322 |
| 2041 * | 236,540 | 578,231 |
| 2042 * | 236,775 | 591,104 |
| 2043 * | 236,600 | 603,913 |
| 2044 * | 236,130 | 616,866 |
| 2045 * | 235,028 | 629,620 |
| 2046 * | 233,107 | 642,590 |
| 2047 * | 229,442 | 655,108 |
| 2048 * | 224,402 | 667,310 |
| 2049 * | 218,269 | 678,502 |
| 2050 * | 211,343 | 688,851 |
| 2051 * | 203,678 | 698,157 |
| 2052 * | 195,840 | 706,094 |
| 2053 * | 188,518 | 713,815 |
| 2054 * | 181,711 | 719,646 |
| 2055 * | 176,731 | 723,878 |
| 2056 * | 172,311 | 727,457 |
| 2057 * | 169,386 | 729,560 |
| 2058 * | 167,434 | 730,577 |
| 2059 * | 165,890 | 731,494 |
| 2060 * | 165,341 | 730,953 |
| 2061 * | 165,256 | 728,496 |
| 2062 * | 165,085 | 725,640 |
| 2063 * | 164,908 | 721,566 |
| 2064 * | 164,769 | 717,819 |
| 2065 * | 164,401 | 712,377 |
| 2066 * | 164,374 | 706,488 |
| 2067 * | 164,012 | 700,867 |
| 2068 * | 163,526 | 693,984 |
| 2069 * | 162,978 | 687,543 |
| 2070 * | 162,089 | 680,471 |
| 2071 * | 161,246 | 672,864 |
| 2072 * | 160,970 | 664,824 |
| 2073 * | 160,160 | 656,636 |
| 2074 * | 160,037 | 649,222 |
| 2075 * | 159,653 | 640,952 |
| 2076 * | 159,076 | 633,001 |
| 2077 * | 158,246 | 625,561 |
| 2078 * | 157,121 | 617,696 |
| 2079 * | 155,470 | 610,497 |
| 2080 * | 153,822 | 602,405 |
| 2081 * | 151,603 | 594,719 |
| 2082 * | 149,184 | 586,574 |
| 2083 * | 146,595 | 578,400 |
| 2084 * | 143,821 | 570,694 |
| 2085 * | 140,828 | 563,576 |
| 2086 * | 137,818 | 556,724 |
| 2087 * | 134,876 | 549,153 |
| 2088 * | 131,891 | 541,837 |
| 2089 * | 129,211 | 534,492 |
| 2090 * | 127,145 | 527,184 |
| 2091 * | 125,354 | 519,348 |
| 2092 * | 123,812 | 511,113 |
| 2093 * | 122,572 | 502,070 |
| 2094 * | 121,702 | 492,832 |
| 2095 * | 121,071 | 483,507 |
| 2096 * | 120,501 | 473,323 |
| 2097 * | 119,940 | 463,572 |
| 2098 * | 119,494 | 453,967 |
| 2099 * | 119,364 | 444,372 |
| 2100 * | 119,211 | 435,057 |
* UN projection
Economy of South Korea
GDP by country →- GDP 2026
- $2.25 trillion 12th largest economy
- GDP per person
- $43,512 US$, market rates
- GDP per person (PPP)
- Int$ 70,251 at purchasing power parity
- Economic growth
- +3.3% real GDP
- Inflation
- 2.7% consumer prices
- Unemployment
- 2.8% of the labour force
- Government debt
- 47.3% of GDP
- Share of world GDP
- 1.8%
- IMF estimate
- IMF projection
3.1T 2026
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | GDP, US$ |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 292,064,000,000 |
| 1991 | 340,863,000,000 |
| 1992 | 366,912,000,000 |
| 1993 | 405,772,000,000 |
| 1994 | 478,988,000,000 |
| 1995 | 586,301,000,000 |
| 1996 | 631,194,000,000 |
| 1997 | 590,070,000,000 |
| 1998 | 396,803,000,000 |
| 1999 | 515,427,000,000 |
| 2000 | 597,802,000,000 |
| 2001 | 567,655,000,000 |
| 2002 | 649,747,000,000 |
| 2003 | 728,497,000,000 |
| 2004 | 822,583,000,000 |
| 2005 | 971,540,000,000 |
| 2006 | 1,094,545,000,000 |
| 2007 | 1,220,756,000,000 |
| 2008 | 1,093,487,000,000 |
| 2009 | 982,854,000,000 |
| 2010 | 1,192,722,000,000 |
| 2011 | 1,307,239,000,000 |
| 2012 | 1,335,344,000,000 |
| 2013 | 1,434,670,000,000 |
| 2014 | 1,556,252,000,000 |
| 2015 | 1,539,212,000,000 |
| 2016 | 1,578,816,000,000 |
| 2017 | 1,710,197,000,000 |
| 2018 | 1,824,251,000,000 |
| 2019 | 1,751,046,000,000 |
| 2020 | 1,744,455,000,000 |
| 2021 | 1,943,893,000,000 |
| 2022 | 1,802,760,000,000 |
| 2023 | 1,843,950,000,000 |
| 2024 | 1,880,777,000,000 |
| 2025 | 1,881,748,000,000 |
| 2026 * | 2,245,847,000,000 |
| 2027 * | 2,539,463,000,000 |
| 2028 * | 2,681,311,000,000 |
| 2029 * | 2,805,778,000,000 |
| 2030 * | 2,930,688,000,000 |
| 2031 * | 3,069,314,000,000 |
* IMF projection
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026). 2026 and later are IMF projections. GDP per capita by country · Richest countries
CO₂ emissions of South Korea
CO₂ by country →- CO₂ emissions 2024
- 584 million tonnes 9th largest emitter
- Per person
- 11.3 t world: 4.73 t
- Share of world CO₂
- 1.51% 0.62% of its people
- Change since 1990
- +133% +17% since 2005
584 2024
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | CO₂, million tonnes |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.18 |
| 1951 | 2.92 |
| 1952 | 3.46 |
| 1953 | 4.69 |
| 1954 | 5.16 |
| 1955 | 6.45 |
| 1956 | 7.55 |
| 1957 | 8.21 |
| 1958 | 9.01 |
| 1959 | 11.22 |
| 1960 | 12.54 |
| 1961 | 14.45 |
| 1962 | 17.26 |
| 1963 | 21.08 |
| 1964 | 22.20 |
| 1965 | 24.98 |
| 1966 | 29.98 |
| 1967 | 35.11 |
| 1968 | 37.20 |
| 1969 | 42.47 |
| 1970 | 53.72 |
| 1971 | 58.53 |
| 1972 | 60.25 |
| 1973 | 72.97 |
| 1974 | 75.55 |
| 1975 | 81.67 |
| 1976 | 93.11 |
| 1977 | 105.46 |
| 1978 | 113.12 |
| 1979 | 132.87 |
| 1980 | 134.52 |
| 1981 | 139.59 |
| 1982 | 140.78 |
| 1983 | 149.13 |
| 1984 | 160.70 |
| 1985 | 168.76 |
| 1986 | 176.30 |
| 1987 | 185.36 |
| 1988 | 210.95 |
| 1989 | 223.51 |
| 1990 | 250.51 |
| 1991 | 275.69 |
| 1992 | 299.90 |
| 1993 | 330.17 |
| 1994 | 355.69 |
| 1995 | 383.67 |
| 1996 | 421.00 |
| 1997 | 444.97 |
| 1998 | 378.04 |
| 1999 | 410.52 |
| 2000 | 439.98 |
| 2001 | 455.63 |
| 2002 | 476.06 |
| 2003 | 485.21 |
| 2004 | 491.39 |
| 2005 | 498.69 |
| 2006 | 503.48 |
| 2007 | 521.71 |
| 2008 | 532.65 |
| 2009 | 537.82 |
| 2010 | 594.34 |
| 2011 | 623.44 |
| 2012 | 627.94 |
| 2013 | 634.58 |
| 2014 | 629.37 |
| 2015 | 634.18 |
| 2016 | 637.91 |
| 2017 | 654.54 |
| 2018 | 670.17 |
| 2019 | 646.10 |
| 2020 | 597.63 |
| 2021 | 616.08 |
| 2022 | 606.88 |
| 2023 | 589.18 |
| 2024 | 583.68 |
By source, 2024
- Coal42.4%
- Oil30.2%
- Gas22.2%
- Cement3.5%
- Other industry1.7%
Fossil fuels and industry, territorial; Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data (CC BY 4.0). CO₂ per capita by country · Historical emissions
Compare with Asia
| Country | Population 2026 | Growth | Fertility | Median age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 51.6 million | −0.14% | 0.76 | 46.2 |
| China | 1.41 billion | −0.22% | 1.03 | 40.6 |
| Indonesia | 288 million | +0.74% | 2.08 | 30.7 |
| Pakistan | 259 million | +1.59% | 3.44 | 20.8 |
| Bangladesh | 178 million | +1.19% | 2.09 | 26.3 |
| Japan | 122 million | −0.56% | 1.23 | 50.2 |
| Philippines | 118 million | +0.79% | 1.86 | 26.6 |
| Vietnam | 102 million | +0.55% | 1.86 | 33.9 |
| Iran | 93.2 million | +0.76% | 1.66 | 34.5 |
All 237 countries · Fertility rate by country · Birth rate by country · Median age by country · Life expectancy by country · Population growth rate by country · Population density by country · Largest countries by area · Death rate by country · Infant mortality rate by country · Elderly population by country · Net migration rate by country · Urban population by country · Sex ratio by country
Air quality in South Korea today
Hourly AQI and a 48-hour forecast for 12 cities, from Seoul to Jeonju.
Questions
What is the population of South Korea in 2026?
51,600,388 on 1 July 2026, according to the UN's World Population Prospects 2024 (medium-variant projection). That is 51.6 million people, −0.13% on 2025.
Is South Korea's population growing or shrinking?
Shrinking: 66,641 fewer people in 2026 than in 2025. Deaths have outnumbered births since 2019. Immigration (net 63 thousand a year) slows the fall but does not stop it.
When will South Korea's population peak?
It already did: 51.9 million in 2020. The UN projects 45.1 million in 2050 and 21.8 million in 2100.
What is the fertility rate in South Korea?
0.76 births per woman in 2026. A population replaces itself at about 2.1. South Korea has been below that since 1984.
How many babies are born in South Korea every day?
About 683 a day (250 thousand in 2026), against about 1,055 deaths a day.
What is the life expectancy in South Korea?
84.6 years at birth in 2026: 87.5 for women and 81.6 for men, against a world average of 73.8.
How many men and women live in South Korea?
About 25.7 million men and 25.9 million women in 2026, or 99.4 men for every 100 women.
What is the population density of South Korea?
522 people per km² of land in 2026, on a total area of 98,480 km². The world average is 64.
What was the population of South Korea in 2000?
46,766,661 (46.8 million), the UN estimate for 1 July 2000. It has grown by 10% since, to 51.6 million in 2026.
What will the population of South Korea be in 2050?
About 45.1 million on the UN's medium projection (45,143,134), −12.5% from 2026; 21.8 million by 2100.
What are the largest cities in South Korea?
Seoul (22.5 million), Busan (3.2 million), Daegu (2.3 million), Daejeon (1.5 million), Gwangju (1.4 million). UN figures for 2026, counting each city’s whole built-up area.
What is the GDP of South Korea in 2026?
$2.25 trillion at current prices, the 12th largest economy in the world, on the IMF’s World Economic Outlook (October 2026) figures; real growth of +3.3%.
What is South Korea's GDP per capita?
$43,512 per person at market exchange rates in 2026, or Int$ 70,251 at purchasing power parity, which adjusts for local prices.
How much CO₂ does South Korea emit?
584 million tonnes from fossil fuels and industry in 2024, 11.3 t per person and 1.51% of the world total; coal is the largest source (42%).
Source and method
United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant. Figures for 1950–2023 are UN estimates; later years are the medium-variant projection, which assumes fertility, mortality and migration follow their most likely paths. National statistics offices publish their own counts, which can differ. Reuse under CC BY 3.0 IGO. How we use the data.