Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million … square in South Korea
South Korea: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million … square was 269.03 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
269.03 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
4th
of 121 countries
All-time high
269.03 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
59.9 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in South Korea is 269.03 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in South Korea peaked at 269.03 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 59.9 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
South Korea ranks 4th of 121 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million … square in South Korea, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 59.9 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 63.41 units per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1963 | 67.15 units per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1964 | 71.14 units per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1965 | 75.39 units per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1966 | 79.94 units per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1967 | 85.63 units per square kilometre | +7.1% |
| 1968 | 92.08 units per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1969 | 99.04 units per square kilometre | +7.6% |
| 1970 | 106.59 units per square kilometre | +7.6% |
| 1971 | 112.79 units per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1972 | 118.71 units per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1973 | 124.97 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1974 | 131.61 units per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1975 | 138.67 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1976 | 144.73 units per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1977 | 150.54 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1978 | 156.6 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1979 | 162.91 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1980 | 169.5 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1981 | 175.49 units per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 181.26 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 187.25 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 193.46 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 199.89 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 206.11 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 212.32 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 218.78 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 225.45 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 232.38 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1991 | 235.59 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 236.86 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 238.22 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 239.68 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 241.24 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 242.67 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 244.12 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 245.72 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 247.48 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 249.43 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 249.98 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 250.79 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 251.78 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 252.84 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 253.96 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 254.67 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 255.13 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 255.52 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 255.94 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 256.19 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 257.26 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 258.19 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 259.15 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 260.42 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 261.69 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 262.89 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 264.18 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 265.52 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 266.02 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 266.76 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 267.5 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 268.26 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 269.03 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 269.03 units per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 24.2 units per square kilometre, 11.1× the median. (40 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 269.03 units per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 27.9 units per square kilometre, 9.6× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 77.08 units per square kilometre | 59.9 units per square kilometre | 99.04 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 134.81 units per square kilometre | 106.59 units per square kilometre | 162.91 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 196.95 units per square kilometre | 169.5 units per square kilometre | 225.45 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 240.4 units per square kilometre | 232.38 units per square kilometre | 247.48 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 253.01 units per square kilometre | 249.43 units per square kilometre | 255.94 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 261.15 units per square kilometre | 256.19 units per square kilometre | 266.02 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 267.89 units per square kilometre | 266.76 units per square kilometre | 269.03 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 1 Singapore 8,469 units per square kilometre compare
- 2 Hong Kong 7,319 units per square kilometre compare
- 3 Puerto Rico 275.04 units per square kilometre compare
- 5 Israel 258.56 units per square kilometre compare
- 6 Lebanon 236.69 units per square kilometre compare
- 7 Japan 222.95 units per square kilometre compare
More urban development data for South Korea
- Population in the largest city 23.9% (2025)
- Population density 530.24 people per sq. km of land area (2024)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 26.41 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.511 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 0.2996 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in largest city 10.03 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Adjusted rural to urban parity index for achieving a minimum 0.9113 (2012)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in South Korea?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in South Korea was 269.03 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 269.03 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.9 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Korea rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square?
- South Korea ranks 4th out of 121 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, 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
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 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.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million World Urbanization Prospects 2018, 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
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 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.