Skip to main content

    General Information
    Region    Eastern Asia
    Population (000, 2020)   51 269
    Pop. density (per km2, 2020)   527.3
    Capital city    Seoul
    Capital city pop. (000, 2020)   9 962.4b,c
    UN membership date    17-Sep-91
    Surface area (km2)   100 284a
    Sex ratio (m per 100 f)   100.2
    National currency    South Korean Won (KRW)
    Exchange rate (per US$)   1 157.8c
    Economic indicators
    2010 2015 2020
    GDP: Gross domestic product (million current US$)1 144 0671 465 7731 720 489d
    GDP growth rate (annual %, const. 2015 prices)6.82.82.7d
    GDP per capita (current US$)23 091.228 840.733 621.9d
    Economy: Agriculturee (% of Gross Value Added)2.42.22d
    Economy: Industrye,f (% of Gross Value Added)37.537.237.3d
    Economy: Services and other activitye,g,h (% of GVA)67.669.572.1d
    Employment in agriculture (% of employed)6.65.14.8i
    Employment in industry (% of employed)2525.225i
    Employment in services (% employed)68.469.770.2i
    Unemploymenti (% of labour force)3.73.64.6
    Labour force participation ratei (female/male pop. %)49.5 / 72.251.9 / 73.352.8 / 73.1
    CPI: Consumer Price Indexj (2010=100)100110115c
    Agricultural production index (2004-2006=100)101104103k
    International trade: exports (million current US$)466 381526 753542 172c
    International trade: imports (million current US$)425 208436 487503 263c
    International trade: balance (million current US$)41 17390 26638 909c
    Balance of payments, current account (million US$)27 950105 11959 971c
    Social indicators
    2010 2015 2020
    Population growth ratel (average annual %)0.30.50.2
    Urban population (% of total population)81.981.681.4c
    Urban population growth ratel (average annual %)0.50.3...
    Fertility rate, totall (live births per woman)1.21.21.1
    Life expectancy at birthl (females/males, years)82.7 / 76.084.4 / 77.985.7 / 79.6
    Population age distribution (0-14/60+ years old, %)16.1 / 15.313.8 / 18.312.5 / 23.2
    International migrant stockm (000/% of total pop.)920.0 / 1.91 143.1 / 2.21 163.7 / 2.3c
    Refugees and others of concern to UNHCR (000)1.2n6.627.7c
    Infant mortality ratel (per 1 000 live births)3.532.1
    Health: Current expenditurei (% of GDP)6.277.6a
    Health: Physicians (per 1 000 pop.)22.22.4a
    Education: Primary gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.)101.8 / 101.798.7 / 98.998.0 / 98.2a
    Education: Secondary gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.)96.1 / 96.699.7 / 100.3100.0 / 100.6a
    Education: Tertiary gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.)86.8 / 116.782.0 / 105.382.8 / 104.8a
    Intentional homicide rate (per 100 000 pop.)10.70.6d
    Seats held by women in national parliaments (%)14.716.317.3o
    Environment and infrastructure indicators
    2010 2015 2020
    Individuals using the Internet (per 100 inhabitants)83.7p89.9q96d
    Research & Development expenditure (% of GDP)3.54.24.8d
    Threatened species (number)6476136
    Forested areai (% of land area)6463.563.4a
    CO2 emission estimates (million tons/tons per capita)550.9 / 11.1582.0 / 11.4600.0 / 11.7a
    Energy production, primary (Petajoules)1 8632 1252 028a
    Energy supply per capita (Gigajoules)212226232a
    Tourist/visitor arrivals at national bordersr (000)8 79813 23215 347d
    Important sites for terrestrial biodiversity protected (%)33.836.437.5c
    Net Official Development Assist. disburseds (% of GNI)0.120.140.14a
Data provided by UNdata