Russia vs South Korea
Russia has 2.8× the population of South Korea: 143,513,328 vs 51,684,564, a gap of 91.8 million. Both are growing at almost the same pace (−0.11% vs −0.13% a year). At these source-year rates the modelled relative population gap is widening. South Korea is the older society: 20.3% aged 65+ against 17.8% in Russia, while Russia has more children (17.0% under 15 vs 10.2%). South Korea is 60.3× as densely populated (529.8 vs 8.8 people per km²). People in South Korea live 10.2 years longer on average (83.6 vs 73.4). GDP per capita is 2.1× higher in South Korea ($36,227 vs $17,547).
Country/territory population bases: World Bank 2025 (Russia) and 2025 (South Korea); growth years 2025 / 2025. Annual source values, not live counts; years may differ. Growth is national, not local.
Russia vs South Korea — side by side
 Russia |  South Korea | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 143,513,3282025 | 51,684,5642025 |
| Growth rate / yr | −0.11%2025 | −0.13%2025 |
| Births per 1,000 | 8.42024 | 4.72024 |
| Deaths per 1,000 | 12.42024 | 7.02024 |
| Children per woman | 1.422024 | 0.752024 |
| Life expectancy | 73.4 yrs2024 | 83.6 yrs2024 |
| Aged 0–14 | 17.0%2025 | 10.2%2025 |
| Aged 65+ | 17.8%2025 | 20.3%2025 |
| Density | 8.8 /km²2023 | 529.8 /km²2023 |
| Area | 17,125,190 km²2023 | 100,450 km²2023 |
| Urban population | 75.3%2025 | 81.2%2025 |
| Net migration / yr | -251,8222025 | +65,7312025 |
| GDP per capita | $17,5472025 | $36,2272025 |
| Country population rank (available records) | #9 | #29 |
| Base / world population (World Bank 2025) | 1.75% | 0.63% |
Highlighted cell = the higher value (not "better"). Small print under each value is its own data year. Source: World Bank; country/territory population bases may have different years. These are not live counts.
Population since 1960
World Bank population history (not the separate UN WPP timeline). Russia: 1.2× from 1960 to 2025; South Korea: 2.1× from 1960 to 2025. Left: absolute population. Right: each series indexed to its own first available year = 100; baseline years may differ.
More comparisons
Regions: Europe & Central Asia · East Asia & Pacific · rankings
Russia: Russia vs India, Russia vs China, Russia vs United States, Russia vs Indonesia, Russia vs Pakistan, Russia vs Nigeria, Russia vs Brazil, Russia vs Bangladesh.
South Korea: South Korea vs India, South Korea vs China, South Korea vs United States, South Korea vs Indonesia, South Korea vs Pakistan, South Korea vs Nigeria, South Korea vs Brazil, South Korea vs Bangladesh.
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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.