Urban population, per square kilometre in South Korea
South Korea: Urban population, per square kilometre was 430.04 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
430.04 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
17th
of 216 countries
All-time high
431.14 units per square kilometre
in 2019
All-time low
75.99 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Urban population, per square kilometre in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, urban population, per square kilometre in South Korea stood at 430.04 units per square kilometre.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population, per square kilometre in South Korea peaked at 431.14 units per square kilometre in 2019 and was at its lowest, 75.99 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Korea ranks 17th of 216 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Urban population, per square kilometre in South Korea, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 75.99 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 80.35 units per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1963 | 84.95 units per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1964 | 89.81 units per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1965 | 95.12 units per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1966 | 101.02 units per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1967 | 107.95 units per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 1968 | 116.8 units per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 1969 | 126.59 units per square kilometre | +8.4% |
| 1970 | 136.06 units per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1971 | 144.36 units per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1972 | 152.1 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1973 | 159.62 units per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1974 | 167.27 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1975 | 175.44 units per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1976 | 184.24 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1977 | 193.66 units per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1978 | 203.49 units per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1979 | 213.62 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1980 | 223.92 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1981 | 234.18 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1982 | 244.42 units per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1983 | 254.64 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 264.52 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 274.11 units per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 284.46 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1987 | 295.84 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 307.58 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 318.9 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 328.81 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 337.36 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 345.57 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 353.28 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 360.33 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1995 | 366.5 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1996 | 371.67 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 376.32 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 379.95 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 383.54 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 387.82 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 391.14 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 395.16 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 399.31 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 402.78 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 404.93 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 407.82 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 410.45 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 413.9 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 416.19 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 417.89 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 421.12 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 422.55 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 423.55 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 425.7 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 427.4 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 428.47 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 429.14 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 430.49 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 431.14 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 431.13 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 430.5 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 429.7 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 430.04 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 430.04 units per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 78.87 units per square kilometre, 5.5× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 430.04 units per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 81.73 units per square kilometre, 5.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 97.62 units per square kilometre | 75.99 units per square kilometre | 126.59 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 172.99 units per square kilometre | 136.06 units per square kilometre | 213.62 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 270.26 units per square kilometre | 223.92 units per square kilometre | 318.9 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 360.33 units per square kilometre | 328.81 units per square kilometre | 383.54 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 402.95 units per square kilometre | 387.82 units per square kilometre | 416.19 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 425.74 units per square kilometre | 417.89 units per square kilometre | 431.14 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 430.34 units per square kilometre | 429.7 units per square kilometre | 431.13 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 14 San Marino 548.15 units per square kilometre compare
- 15 Lebanon 510.49 units per square kilometre compare
- 16 Netherlands 506.12 units per square kilometre compare
- 18 Bangladesh 424.22 units per square kilometre compare
- 19 Israel 416.48 units per square kilometre compare
- 20 Barbados 390.17 units per square kilometre compare
More climate change data for South Korea
- Share of global CO₂ emissions and population 0.2% (2100)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.1285 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1214 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.8117 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -78.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population 41.95 million (2025)
- Urban population growth -0.1% (2025)
- Population, total 51.68 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population, per square kilometre in South Korea?
- Urban population, per square kilometre in South Korea was 430.04 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 431.14 units per square kilometre in 2019.
- What is the lowest urban population, per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.99 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Korea rank for urban population, per square kilometre?
- South Korea ranks 17th out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Is urban population, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. 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 Urban population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Urban population 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.
Urban population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Urban population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- 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
Urban population 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.