Fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea
South Korea: Fertility rate: births per woman was 0.72 live births per woman in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0.72 live births per woman
Change on year
down 7.7%
World rank
234th
of 236 countries
All-time high
6.18 live births per woman
in 1957
All-time low
0.72 live births per woman
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in live births per woman.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 0.72 live births per woman for fertility rate: births per woman in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 7.7% on the previous year and down 40.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea peaked at 6.18 live births per woman in 1957 and was at its lowest, 0.72 live births per woman, in 2023.
That places South Korea 234th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea, year by year
| Year | live births per woman | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.06 live births per woman | — |
| 1951 | 6.09 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1952 | 6.12 live births per woman | +0.5% |
| 1953 | 6.17 live births per woman | +0.8% |
| 1954 | 6.17 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 6.17 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 1956 | 6.17 live births per woman | +0.1% |
| 1957 | 6.18 live births per woman | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 6.15 live births per woman | -0.4% |
| 1959 | 6.1 live births per woman | -0.9% |
| 1960 | 5.99 live births per woman | -1.7% |
| 1961 | 5.8 live births per woman | -3.2% |
| 1962 | 5.56 live births per woman | -4.2% |
| 1963 | 5.33 live births per woman | -4.1% |
| 1964 | 5.07 live births per woman | -5.0% |
| 1965 | 4.89 live births per woman | -3.6% |
| 1966 | 4.78 live births per woman | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 4.62 live births per woman | -3.5% |
| 1968 | 4.51 live births per woman | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 4.45 live births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 4.46 live births per woman | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 4.26 live births per woman | -4.5% |
| 1972 | 4.02 live births per woman | -5.6% |
| 1973 | 3.8 live births per woman | -5.4% |
| 1974 | 3.56 live births per woman | -6.5% |
| 1975 | 3.31 live births per woman | -6.8% |
| 1976 | 3.12 live births per woman | -5.9% |
| 1977 | 2.95 live births per woman | -5.3% |
| 1978 | 2.7 live births per woman | -8.6% |
| 1979 | 2.75 live births per woman | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 2.73 live births per woman | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 2.67 live births per woman | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 2.43 live births per woman | -8.9% |
| 1983 | 2.1 live births per woman | -13.5% |
| 1984 | 1.83 live births per woman | -12.8% |
| 1985 | 1.71 live births per woman | -6.9% |
| 1986 | 1.62 live births per woman | -4.8% |
| 1987 | 1.57 live births per woman | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 1.56 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 1.56 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 1.6 live births per woman | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 1.7 live births per woman | +6.2% |
| 1992 | 1.74 live births per woman | +2.1% |
| 1993 | 1.68 live births per woman | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 1.67 live births per woman | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 1.65 live births per woman | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 1.6 live births per woman | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 1.55 live births per woman | -2.8% |
| 1998 | 1.5 live births per woman | -3.7% |
| 1999 | 1.47 live births per woman | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 1.47 live births per woman | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 1.34 live births per woman | -8.5% |
| 2002 | 1.23 live births per woman | -8.6% |
| 2003 | 1.2 live births per woman | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 1.16 live births per woman | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 1.11 live births per woman | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 1.15 live births per woman | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 1.22 live births per woman | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 1.19 live births per woman | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 1.18 live births per woman | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 1.23 live births per woman | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 1.26 live births per woman | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 1.27 live births per woman | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 1.21 live births per woman | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 1.2 live births per woman | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 1.2 live births per woman | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 1.14 live births per woman | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 1.03 live births per woman | -9.2% |
| 2018 | 0.951 live births per woman | -8.1% |
| 2019 | 0.881 live births per woman | -7.4% |
| 2020 | 0.812 live births per woman | -7.8% |
| 2021 | 0.783 live births per woman | -3.6% |
| 2022 | 0.78 live births per woman | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 0.72 live births per woman | -7.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.72 live births per woman is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.5 live births per woman, 48% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.72 live births per woman is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.13 live births per woman, 34% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.14 live births per woman | 6.06 live births per woman | 6.18 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.1 live births per woman | 4.45 live births per woman | 5.99 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.49 live births per woman | 2.7 live births per woman | 4.46 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.98 live births per woman | 1.56 live births per woman | 2.73 live births per woman | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.62 live births per woman | 1.47 live births per woman | 1.74 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.22 live births per woman | 1.11 live births per woman | 1.47 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.14 live births per woman | 0.881 live births per woman | 1.27 live births per woman | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7738 live births per woman | 0.72 live births per woman | 0.812 live births per woman | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 231 Puerto Rico 0.941 live births per woman compare
- 232 Taiwan 0.87 live births per woman compare
- 233 Saint Barthelemy 0.801 live births per woman compare
- 235 Hong Kong 0.717 live births per woman compare
- 236 Macao 0.662 live births per woman compare
More reference data data for South Korea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9638 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9281 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2074 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea?
- Fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea was 0.72 live births per woman in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 6.18 live births per woman in 1957.
- What is the lowest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.72 live births per woman in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for fertility rate: births per woman?
- South Korea ranks 234th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is fertility rate: births per woman rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate: births per woman. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total fertility rate: the average number of children a woman would have if she experienced the year's age-specific birth rates throughout her childbearing years.