Busan — metropolitan city population
Busan has a recorded base population of 3,343,903 for the metropolitan city definition (Population reference date not supplied in local record). GeoNames administrative-unit record; the moving counter uses World Bank national growth (2025); not measured local growth, not new population observations.
At a glance
Separate UN urban-centre definition
Busan UN urban centre: 3,263,221 people (2025), smaller than the displayed metropolitan city figure of 3,343,903. Separate GeoNames settlement record: 3,285,147; the UN value is smaller (different boundaries; GeoNames population date unavailable). UN WUP 2025 Degree of Urbanisation; not a municipal/province boundary. Association: name/country/coordinates matched; boundary relationship unverified. No containment claim is made.
Administrative units of Busan
15 administrative records listed; completeness not established. 15 of 15 population values available; population values and dates not independently verified.
Available-value subtotal: 2,901,820; not a reconciled total. Shares use the displayed metropolitan city denominator 3,343,903; mixed/unknown dates are not comparable. An em dash means missing, not zero.
| Unit | Population | Share | Membership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haeundae-gu | 376,621 | 11.26% | Not independently verified |
| Saha-gu | 292,717 | 8.75% | Not independently verified |
| Buk-gu | 275,773 | 8.25% | Not independently verified |
| Dongnae-gu | 269,086 | 8.05% | Not independently verified |
| Nam-gu | 255,387 | 7.64% | Not independently verified |
| Yeonje-gu | 212,400 | 6.35% | Not independently verified |
| Geumjeong-gu | 210,905 | 6.31% | Not independently verified |
| Sasang-gu | 199,406 | 5.96% | Not independently verified |
| Suyeong-gu | 172,329 | 5.15% | Not independently verified |
| Yeongdo-gu | 162,961 | 4.87% | Not independently verified |
| Gangseo District | 142,902 | 4.27% | Not independently verified |
| Gijang-gun | 103,784 | 3.10% | Not independently verified |
| Seo-gu | 103,337 | 3.09% | Not independently verified |
| Dong-gu | 86,308 | 2.58% | Not independently verified |
| Jung-gu | 37,904 | 1.13% | Not independently verified |
Comparable database records
Same definition label: metropolitan city. Dates/boundaries may still differ; this is not a harmonised international city ranking. Ratios use 3,343,903 as denominator.
| Place | Population | vs Busan |
|---|---|---|
| Incheon | 3,016,250 | −9.8% |
| Daegu | 2,365,523 | −29.3% |
| Daejeon | 1,470,336 | −56.0% |
| Gwangju | 1,411,357 | −57.8% |
| Gwangju | 1,411,357 | −57.8% |
About these numbers
Source: GeoNames administrative-unit record. Reference: Population reference date not supplied in local record; GeoNames record modified 2026-04-16 (not the population date). Live method: exponential projection from modelling anchor 2025-07-01 using World Bank national growth (2025); not measured local growth (−0.13% per year). This anchor is a modelling convention, not an observed population date. Tiles, ranks and comparisons use the recorded base figure 3,343,903, not the ticking estimate. Country/world denominators are World Bank values and can differ in date and method from local/UN values. Ranks cover only records with the same definition label in this database, not all cities in the world.
What changed during your lifetime?
Turn these figures into a private, five-scene personal world story.
Which city boundary are you reading?
This page is a structured reference entry. Its sources, geographic definition and reference dates determine what the figures mean; it is not independent reporting about the causes of change. Read the accompanying explanation before comparing different places or vintages.