Updated
Overview
South Korea has 4.8 times the population of Portugal: 51.68 million people against 10.80 million (2025).
South Korea's economy is 5.4 times the size of Portugal's, at $1.87T versus $346.64B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Korea | Portugal | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.87T | $346.64B | 2025 | $1.71T / $308.68B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $36,227 | $32,082 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.0% | Higher: 1.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.1% | 2.3% | 2025 | 2.3% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.7% | 6.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 57 | 60 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $3,168 | $1,426 | 2022 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,511 | $1,147 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.84 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 51.68 million | 10.80 million | 2025 | 51.49 million / 10.19 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.6 yrs | 46.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 0.75 | 1.52 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.6 yrs | 82.4 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 61% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 98% | 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 100,210 km² | 92,090 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 515.8/km² | 117.3/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 584 Mt | Lower: 36 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 11.3 t | Lower: 3.4 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $47.57B | $4.64B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.6% | 1.5% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 569,000 | 52,000 | 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
Portugal is growing faster: 1.9% annual GDP growth versus 1.0%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.1% in South Korea and 2.3% in Portugal.
Average monthly earnings favour South Korea: $3,168 against $1,426 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 45.6 (South Korea) and 46.9 (Portugal).
Life expectancy is 1.2 years longer in South Korea (83.6 vs 82.4).
South Korea is considerably more urbanized: 81% of people live in cities, against 61%.
Geography
By land area, South Korea is 9% larger than Portugal: 100,210 km² versus 92,090 km².
South Korea is far more densely settled: 516 people per km² against 117.
Military
South Korea spends 10 times as much on defence as Portugal: $47.57B versus $4.64B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, South Korea carries the heavier military burden: 2.6% of GDP versus 1.5%.
South Korea fields the larger armed forces: 569,000 personnel against 52,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is South Korea bigger than Portugal?
- South Korea is larger by land area. South Korea covers 100,210 km² while Portugal covers 92,090 km², so South Korea is 9% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, South Korea or Portugal?
- South Korea has the larger population: 51.68 million versus 10.80 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Korea richer than Portugal?
- Measured by GDP per capita, South Korea is richer: $36,227 against $32,082. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.87T for South Korea versus $346.64B for Portugal.
- Who spends more on their military, South Korea or Portugal?
- South Korea spends more: $47.57B versus $4.64B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).