Updated
Overview
South Korea has about 95% more people than North Korea: 51.68 million against 26.57 million (2025).
Population
The full table
| Indicator | South Korea | North Korea | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $1.87T | — | 2025 | $1.71T / — |
| GDP per capita | $36,227 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.0% | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 2.1% | — | 2025 | 2.3% / — |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.7% | 3.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 57 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $3,168 | — | 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $1,511 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.84 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 51.68 million | 26.57 million | 2025 | 51.49 million / 26.40 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | 0.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.6 yrs | 36.5 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 0.75 | 1.77 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.6 yrs | 73.7 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 64% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 98% | 0% | 2024 / 2004 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 100,210 km² | 120,538 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 515.8/km² | 220.4/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 584 Mt | Lower: 63 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 11.3 t | Lower: 2.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $47.57B | $1.60B | 2024 / 2018 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.6% | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 569,000 | 1.5 million | 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
People and society
North Korea is the far younger society: median age 36.5 versus 45.6 years.
Life expectancy is 9.9 years longer in South Korea (83.6 vs 73.7).
South Korea is considerably more urbanized: 81% of people live in cities, against 64%.
Internet adoption is higher in South Korea (98% vs 0% of the population).
Geography
By land area, South Korea is 17% smaller than North Korea: 100,210 km² versus 120,538 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
South Korea is far more densely settled: 516 people per km² against 220.
Military
South Korea spends 30 times as much on defence as North Korea: $47.57B versus $1.60B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
North Korea fields the larger armed forces: 1.5 million personnel against 569,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is South Korea bigger than North Korea?
- North Korea is larger by land area. South Korea covers 100,210 km² while North Korea covers 120,538 km², so North Korea is 20% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, South Korea or North Korea?
- South Korea has the larger population: 51.68 million versus 26.57 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Who spends more on their military, South Korea or North Korea?
- South Korea spends more: $47.57B versus $1.60B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).
Related comparisons
Full profiles
Every comparison for South Korea · North Korea