Rural population, per square kilometre in South Korea
South Korea: Rural population, per square kilometre was 99.8 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
99.8 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
31st
of 215 countries
All-time high
204.42 units per square kilometre
in 1967
All-time low
91.83 units per square kilometre
in 2009
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population, per square kilometre in South Korea is 99.8 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in South Korea peaked at 204.42 units per square kilometre in 1967 and was at its lowest, 91.83 units per square kilometre, in 2009.
That places South Korea 31st out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in South Korea, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 191.12 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 194.51 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 197.67 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1964 | 200.3 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 202.46 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1966 | 204.14 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 204.42 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 202.9 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1969 | 200.43 units per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 1970 | 198.18 units per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 196.53 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 1972 | 195.25 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1973 | 193.93 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1974 | 192.38 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 190.31 units per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 1976 | 187.41 units per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 183.82 units per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 179.77 units per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 175.5 units per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 171.31 units per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 1981 | 167.26 units per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 163.28 units per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 1983 | 159.11 units per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 154.36 units per square kilometre | -3.0% |
| 1985 | 148.93 units per square kilometre | -3.5% |
| 1986 | 142.8 units per square kilometre | -4.1% |
| 1987 | 135.65 units per square kilometre | -5.0% |
| 1988 | 128.16 units per square kilometre | -5.5% |
| 1989 | 121.17 units per square kilometre | -5.5% |
| 1990 | 115.62 units per square kilometre | -4.6% |
| 1991 | 111.49 units per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 107.96 units per square kilometre | -3.2% |
| 1993 | 104.88 units per square kilometre | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 102.47 units per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 100.97 units per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 100.29 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 100.08 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 99.9 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 99.74 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 99.51 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 98.53 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 97.09 units per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 95.45 units per square kilometre | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 93.84 units per square kilometre | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 92.59 units per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 92.16 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 91.86 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 91.87 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 91.83 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 91.93 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 92.68 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 93.33 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 94.07 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 95.15 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 96.12 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 96.9 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 97.6 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 98.48 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 99.23 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 99.98 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 99.92 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 99.73 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 99.8 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 99.8 units per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 18.09 units per square kilometre, 5.5× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 99.8 units per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 27.04 units per square kilometre, 3.7× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 199.77 units per square kilometre | 191.12 units per square kilometre | 204.42 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 189.31 units per square kilometre | 175.5 units per square kilometre | 198.18 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 149.2 units per square kilometre | 121.17 units per square kilometre | 171.31 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 104.34 units per square kilometre | 99.74 units per square kilometre | 115.62 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 94.47 units per square kilometre | 91.83 units per square kilometre | 99.51 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 95.55 units per square kilometre | 91.93 units per square kilometre | 99.23 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.86 units per square kilometre | 99.73 units per square kilometre | 99.98 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 28 Tonga 114.55 units per square kilometre compare
- 29 Palestine 112.68 units per square kilometre compare
- 30 Jamaica 108.95 units per square kilometre compare
- 32 Gambia 96.5 units per square kilometre compare
- 33 Nigeria 94.64 units per square kilometre compare
- 34 Ethiopia 87.74 units per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Korea
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 0.2516 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0146 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 530.46 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1591 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1883 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, per square kilometre in South Korea?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in South Korea was 99.8 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 204.42 units per square kilometre in 1967.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 91.83 units per square kilometre in 2009.
- How does South Korea rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- South Korea ranks 31st out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.