Updated
Overview
South Korea and Spain are nearly matched in population: 51.68 million versus 49.36 million people (2025).
Their economies are close in size: $1.87T for South Korea and $1.91T for Spain.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Korea | Spain | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | $1.87T | Higher: $1.91T | 2025 | $1.71T / $1.72T |
| GDP per capita | $36,227 | Higher: $38,627 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.0% | Higher: 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.1% | 2.7% | 2025 | 2.3% / 2.8% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.7% | 10.4% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 57 | 65 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $3,168 | Higher: $3,574 | 2022 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $1,511 | Higher: $1,561 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.84 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 51.68 million | 49.36 million | 2025 | 51.49 million / 47.28 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | 1.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.6 yrs | 45.9 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 0.75 | 1.23 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 83.6 yrs | Higher: 83.9 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 81% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 98% | 96% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 100,210 km² | 505,992 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 515.8/km² | 97.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 584 Mt | Lower: 220 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 11.3 t | Lower: 4.6 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $47.57B | $24.62B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.6% | 1.4% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 569,000 | 199,000 | 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
Spain is growing faster: 2.8% annual GDP growth versus 1.0%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.1% in South Korea and 2.7% in Spain.
Average monthly earnings favour Spain: $3,574 against $3,168 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 45.6 (South Korea) and 45.9 (Spain).
Geography
By land area, South Korea is 80% smaller than Spain: 100,210 km² versus 505,992 km².
South Korea is far more densely settled: 516 people per km² against 98.
Military
South Korea spends about 95% more on defence than Spain: $47.57B versus $24.62B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, South Korea carries the heavier military burden: 2.6% of GDP versus 1.4%.
South Korea fields the larger armed forces: 569,000 personnel against 199,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is South Korea bigger than Spain?
- Spain is larger by land area. South Korea covers 100,210 km² while Spain covers 505,992 km², so Spain is 5.0 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, South Korea or Spain?
- South Korea has the larger population: 51.68 million versus 49.36 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Korea richer than Spain?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Spain is richer: $38,627 against $36,227. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.87T for South Korea versus $1.91T for Spain.
- Who spends more on their military, South Korea or Spain?
- South Korea spends more: $47.57B versus $24.62B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).