Seoul — UN urban centre population
Seoul has a recorded base population of 22,490,482 for the UN urban centre definition (2025 annual estimate). UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025; the moving counter uses UN 2025–2026 annual growth, not new population observations.
At a glance
Separate UN urban-centre definition
Seoul UN urban centre: 22,490,482 people (2025), equal to the displayed UN urban centre figure of 22,490,482. Separate GeoNames settlement record: 10,349,312; the UN value is larger (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 Seoul
25 administrative records listed; completeness not established. 25 of 25 population values available; population values and dates not independently verified.
Available-value subtotal: 9,476,395; not a reconciled total. Shares use the displayed UN urban centre denominator 22,490,482; mixed/unknown dates are not comparable. An em dash means missing, not zero.
| Unit | Population | Share | Membership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Songpa-gu | 652,343 | 2.90% | Not independently verified |
| Gangseo-gu | 546,938 | 2.43% | Not independently verified |
| Gwanak-gu | 520,849 | 2.32% | Not independently verified |
| Gangnam-gu | 508,135 | 2.26% | Not independently verified |
| Nowon-gu | 492,544 | 2.19% | Not independently verified |
| Yangcheon-gu | 469,434 | 2.09% | Not independently verified |
| Gangdong-gu | 465,807 | 2.07% | Not independently verified |
| Eunpyeong-gu | 450,583 | 2.00% | Not independently verified |
| Seongbuk-gu | 423,439 | 1.88% | Not independently verified |
| Seocho-gu | 405,126 | 1.80% | Not independently verified |
| Dongjak-gu | 397,317 | 1.77% | Not independently verified |
| Yeongdeungpo-gu | 396,243 | 1.76% | Not independently verified |
| Guro District | 388,823 | 1.73% | Not independently verified |
| Mapo-gu | 381,330 | 1.70% | Not independently verified |
| Jungnang-gu | 380,353 | 1.69% | Not independently verified |
| Dongdaemun District | 340,686 | 1.51% | Not independently verified |
| Gwangjin-gu | 333,403 | 1.48% | Not independently verified |
| Gangbuk-gu | 324,413 | 1.44% | Not independently verified |
| Seodaemun-gu | 313,814 | 1.40% | Not independently verified |
| Dobong-gu | 301,554 | 1.34% | Not independently verified |
| Seongdong-gu | 275,403 | 1.22% | Not independently verified |
| Geumcheon-gu | 242,510 | 1.08% | Not independently verified |
| Yongsan-gu | 205,145 | 0.91% | Not independently verified |
| Jongno-gu | 138,879 | 0.62% | Not independently verified |
| Jung-gu | 121,324 | 0.54% | Not independently verified |
Recorded localities
Gazetteer associations; boundary membership not independently verified.
Yongsan-dong (12,612)
Comparable database records
Same definition label: UN urban centre. Dates/boundaries may still differ; this is not a harmonised international city ranking. Ratios use 22,490,482 as denominator.
| Place | Population | vs Seoul |
|---|---|---|
| Kolkata | 22,549,738 | +0.3% |
| Karachi | 21,422,590 | −4.7% |
| Manila | 24,735,305 | +10.0% |
| Mumbai | 20,203,056 | −10.2% |
| São Paulo | 18,949,790 | −15.7% |
About these numbers
Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025. Reference: 2025 annual estimate. Live method: exponential projection from modelling anchor 2025-01-01 using UN 2025–2026 annual growth (+0.12% per year). This anchor is a modelling convention, not an observed population date. Tiles, ranks and comparisons use the recorded base figure 22,490,482, 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.
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