Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in South Korea
South Korea: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 81.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
81.2%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
65th
of 238 countries
All-time high
82.0%
in 2010
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in South Korea, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 81.2% for do more people live in urban or rural areas? in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in South Korea peaked at 82.0% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
South Korea ranks 65th of 238 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.7% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 2.1% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 2.4% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 2.6% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 2.9% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 3.2% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 3.5% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 3.8% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 4.2% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 4.5% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 5.0% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 5.5% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 6.0% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 6.5% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 7.2% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 7.9% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 8.6% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 9.4% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 10.3% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 11.3% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 12.4% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 13.5% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 14.8% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 16.3% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 17.8% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 19.5% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 20.5% | +5.4% |
| 1951 | 21.3% | +3.9% |
| 1952 | 22.1% | +3.6% |
| 1953 | 22.9% | +3.4% |
| 1954 | 23.6% | +3.3% |
| 1955 | 24.4% | +3.1% |
| 1956 | 25.0% | +2.8% |
| 1957 | 25.7% | +2.6% |
| 1958 | 26.3% | +2.5% |
| 1959 | 27.0% | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 27.7% | +2.6% |
| 1961 | 28.4% | +2.8% |
| 1962 | 29.2% | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 30.1% | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 31.0% | +3.0% |
| 1965 | 32.0% | +3.3% |
| 1966 | 33.1% | +3.6% |
| 1967 | 34.6% | +4.4% |
| 1968 | 36.5% | +5.7% |
| 1969 | 38.7% | +6.0% |
| 1970 | 40.7% | +5.2% |
| 1971 | 42.3% | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 43.8% | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 45.1% | +3.1% |
| 1974 | 46.5% | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 48.0% | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 49.6% | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 51.3% | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 53.1% | +3.5% |
| 1979 | 54.9% | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 56.7% | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 58.3% | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 60.0% | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 61.5% | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 63.1% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 64.8% | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 66.6% | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 68.6% | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 70.6% | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 72.5% | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 74.0% | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 75.2% | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 76.2% | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 77.1% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 77.9% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 78.4% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 78.8% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 79.0% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 79.2% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 79.4% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 79.6% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 79.9% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 80.3% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 80.7% | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 81.1% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 81.4% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 81.6% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 81.7% | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 81.8% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 81.9% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 82.0% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 82.0% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 81.9% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 81.8% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 81.7% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 81.6% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 81.6% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 81.5% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 81.4% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 81.3% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 81.2% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 81.2% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 81.2% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 81.2% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 81.2% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 81.2% | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 81.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 100% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 81.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 1.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1700s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1710s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1720s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1730s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
| 1740s | 3.2% | 3.2% | 3.2% | 1 |
| 1750s | 3.5% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1 |
| 1760s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1770s | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 1 |
| 1780s | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 1 |
| 1790s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1800s | 5.5% | 5.5% | 5.5% | 1 |
| 1810s | 6.0% | 6.0% | 6.0% | 1 |
| 1820s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1830s | 7.2% | 7.2% | 7.2% | 1 |
| 1840s | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 1 |
| 1850s | 8.6% | 8.6% | 8.6% | 1 |
| 1860s | 9.4% | 9.4% | 9.4% | 1 |
| 1870s | 10.3% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 1 |
| 1880s | 11.3% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 1 |
| 1890s | 12.4% | 12.4% | 12.4% | 1 |
| 1900s | 13.5% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 1 |
| 1910s | 14.8% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 1 |
| 1920s | 16.3% | 16.3% | 16.3% | 1 |
| 1930s | 17.8% | 17.8% | 17.8% | 1 |
| 1940s | 19.5% | 19.5% | 19.5% | 1 |
| 1950s | 23.9% | 20.5% | 27.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 32.1% | 27.7% | 38.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 47.5% | 40.7% | 54.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 64.3% | 56.7% | 72.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.5% | 74.0% | 79.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 81.0% | 79.6% | 81.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.7% | 81.3% | 82.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.2% | 81.2% | 81.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 62 Germany 82.1% compare
- 63 Falkland Islands 81.5% compare
- 64 Bahamas 81.3% compare
- 66 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 81.1% compare
- 67 Spain 80.5% compare
- 68 American Samoa 80.5% 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 do more people live in urban or rural areas? in South Korea?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in South Korea was 81.2% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 82.0% in 2010.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does South Korea rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- South Korea ranks 65th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.