Population growth in Korea, Rep.
Korea, Rep.: Population growth was -0.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Korea, Rep., 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, population growth in Korea, Rep. stood at -0.1%.
The figure is down 273.0% on the previous year and down 124.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Korea, Rep. peaked at 3.0% in 1961 and was at its lowest, -0.2%, in 2022.
That places Korea, Rep. 181st out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.6% | 2.3% | 3.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.7% | 1.5% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.0% | -0.2% | 0.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea, Rep.
More climate change data for Korea, Rep.
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population, total 51.68 million (2025)
- Urban population growth -0.1% (2025)
- Urban population 41.95 million (2025)
- Urban population 81.2% (2025)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. GDP per capita 11.29 tonnes per person (2024)
- Cumulative CO₂ emissions 20.71 billion tonnes (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita 11.29 tonnes per person (2024)
- CO₂ emissions per capita vs. share of electricity generation from renewables 11.29 tonnes per person (2024)
- Share of global CO₂ emissions vs. share of population 1.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Korea, Rep.?
- Population growth in Korea, Rep. was -0.1% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Korea, Rep.?
- The highest recorded value was 3.0% in 1961.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Korea, Rep.?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.2% in 2022.
- How does Korea, Rep. rank for population growth?
- Korea, Rep. ranks 181st out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Korea, Rep.?
- Over the last ten years it is down 124.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Korea, Rep. data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.