Updated
Overview
South Korea has 2.5 times the population of Kazakhstan: 51.68 million people against 20.84 million (2025).
South Korea's economy is 6.1 times the size of Kazakhstan's, at $1.87T versus $306.24B.
Per person, South Korea is the wealthier of the two: $36,227 against $14,692 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Korea | Kazakhstan | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.87T | $306.24B | 2025 | $1.71T / $288.41B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $36,227 | $14,692 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.0% | Higher: 6.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.1% | 11.4% | 2025 | 2.3% / 8.8% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.7% | 4.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 57 | 33 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $3,168 | $673 | 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,511 | $181 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.84 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 51.68 million | 20.84 million | 2025 | 51.49 million / 20.43 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | 1.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.6 yrs | 29.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 0.75 | 2.95 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.6 yrs | 74.5 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 62% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 98% | 93% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 100,210 km² | 2,724,900 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 515.8/km² | 7.6/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 584 Mt | Lower: 287 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 11.3 t | 13.9 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $47.57B | $1.21B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.6% | 0.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 569,000 | 71,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Kazakhstan is growing much faster: 6.5% annual GDP growth versus 1.0%.
Kazakhstan runs the hotter price environment: 11.4% inflation versus 2.1%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Kazakhstan: a price level of 33 versus 57 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour South Korea: $3,168 against $673 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Kazakhstan is the far younger society: median age 29.7 versus 45.6 years.
Life expectancy is 9.1 years longer in South Korea (83.6 vs 74.5).
South Korea is considerably more urbanized: 81% of people live in cities, against 62%.
Geography
By land area, South Korea is only about 1/27 the size of Kazakhstan: 100,210 km² versus 2,724,900 km².
South Korea is far more densely settled: 516 people per km² against 8.
Military
South Korea spends 39 times as much on defence as Kazakhstan: $47.57B versus $1.21B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, South Korea carries the heavier military burden: 2.6% of GDP versus 0.4%.
South Korea fields the larger armed forces: 569,000 personnel against 71,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is South Korea bigger than Kazakhstan?
- Kazakhstan is larger by land area. South Korea covers 100,210 km² while Kazakhstan covers 2,724,900 km², so Kazakhstan is 27 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, South Korea or Kazakhstan?
- South Korea has the larger population: 51.68 million versus 20.84 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Korea richer than Kazakhstan?
- Measured by GDP per capita, South Korea is richer: $36,227 against $14,692. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.87T for South Korea versus $306.24B for Kazakhstan.
- Who spends more on their military, South Korea or Kazakhstan?
- South Korea spends more: $47.57B versus $1.21B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).