🌍 World Alive

South Korea vs United Kingdom

Flag of South Korea

South Korea

51,684,564#29 · −0.13%/yr
vs
Flag of United Kingdom

United Kingdom

69,487,000#22 · +0.30%/yr

United Kingdom has 1.3× the population of South Korea: 69,487,000 vs 51,684,564, a gap of 17.8 million. United Kingdom is growing faster (+0.30% vs −0.13% a year), adding about 206,306 people a year against −66,458. At these source-year rates the modelled relative population gap is widening. South Korea is 1.9× as densely populated (529.8 vs 283.2 people per km²). People in South Korea live 2.2 years longer on average (83.6 vs 81.4). GDP per capita is 1.6× higher in United Kingdom ($57,602 vs $36,227).

Country/territory population bases: World Bank 2025 (South Korea) and 2025 (United Kingdom); growth years 2025 / 2025. Annual source values, not live counts; years may differ. Growth is national, not local.

South Korea vs United Kingdom — side by side

Flag of South Korea South KoreaFlag of United Kingdom United Kingdom
Population51,684,564202569,487,0002025
Growth rate / yr−0.13%2025+0.30%2025
Births per 1,0004.720249.92024
Deaths per 1,0007.020249.72024
Children per woman0.7520241.552024
Life expectancy83.6 yrs202481.4 yrs2024
Aged 0–1410.2%202517.0%2025
Aged 65+20.3%202519.7%2025
Density529.8 /km²2023283.2 /km²2023
Area100,450 km²2023243,610 km²2023
Urban population81.2%202583.3%2025
Net migration / yr+65,7312025+389,9112025
GDP per capita$36,2272025$57,6022025
Country population rank (available records)#29#22
Base / world population (World Bank 2025)0.63%0.85%

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). South Korea: 2.1× from 1960 to 2025; United Kingdom: 1.3× from 1960 to 2025. Left: absolute population. Right: each series indexed to its own first available year = 100; baseline years may differ.

018.4M36.8M55.2M73.7M1960197019801990200020102020South KoreaUnited Kingdom0551101652201960197019801990200020102020South KoreaUnited Kingdom

More comparisons

Regions: East Asia & Pacific · Europe & Central Asia · rankings

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.

United Kingdom: United Kingdom vs India, United Kingdom vs China, United Kingdom vs United States, United Kingdom vs Indonesia, United Kingdom vs Pakistan, United Kingdom vs Nigeria, United Kingdom vs Brazil, United Kingdom vs Bangladesh.

Compare anything

vs

Pick any two. The result renders instantly from the same live data as the map, and the URL updates so you can share it.

What changed during your lifetime?

Turn these figures into a private, five-scene personal world story.

Compare like with like

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.

A checklist for dates, definitions and rankings →

Interpretation reviewed 12 October 2026. Underlying reference years are stated on the page; this is not a fresh census or dataset refresh.