In 2023, around **** million inhabitants were living in urban areas in South Korea. Urban areas refer to areas used for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes. That year, about ** percent of South Korean citizens lived in urban areas.

Korea Rural Population data was reported at 9,519,703.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 9,448,683.000 Person for 2016. Korea Rural Population data is updated yearly, averaging 12,134,389.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19,619,691.000 Person in 1966 and a record low of 8,942,697.000 Person in 2007. Korea Rural Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Sum;

Actual value and historical data chart for South Korea Rural Population

Korea Rural Population Growth data was reported at 0.749 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.843 % for 2016. Korea Rural Population Growth data is updated yearly, averaging -0.815 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.963 % in 1960 and a record low of -5.297 % in 1990. Korea Rural Population Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

Historical dataset showing South Korea rural population by year from 1960 to 2023.

Korea Rural Population: % of Total Population data was reported at 17.288 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 17.408 % for 2016. Korea Rural Population: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 28.732 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 72.290 % in 1960 and a record low of 17.288 % in 2017. Korea Rural Population: % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2014 Revision.; Weighted average;

Actual value and historical data chart for South Korea Rural Population Percent Of Total Population

Actual value and historical data chart for South Korea Rural Population Growth Annual Percent

This dataset is about countries per year in Korea. It has 64 rows. It features 4 columns: country, population, and rural population.

This scatter chart displays population (people) against rural population (people) in Korea. The data is about countries per year.

Korea Rural Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters: % of Total Population data was reported at 1.016 % in 2010. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.055 % for 2000. Korea Rural Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 1.055 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.228 % in 1990 and a record low of 1.016 % in 2010. Korea Rural Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 Meters: % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.World Bank: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Rural population below 5m is the percentage of the total population, living in areas where the elevation is 5 meters or less.; ; Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.; Weighted Average;

This scatter chart displays rural population (people) against birth rate (per 1,000 people) in Korea. The data is about countries per year.

In 2023, the population density in South Korea stood at around *** inhabitants per square kilometer, slightly up from *** in the previous year. The nationwide population density has been increasing steadily over the past decades. The highest density was in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, with ****** people per square kilometer. UrbanizationSouth Korea was primarily an agricultural nation. In the decades following its independence from Japanese rule in 1945, both the dictatorships and democratic governments that governed South Korea focused on industrialization and modernization of the country. The urban population has grown by about **** million over the past 20 years, while the rural population has fallen by around *** million. In 2023, around ** percent of the population lived in an urban area. The most populous city SeoulSeoul’s high population density is not surprising. The capital city is typically grouped with the province of Gyeonggi, which resembles a donut with Seoul at its center, and the metropolitan port city of Incheon, collectively known as the Seoul Capital Area. This is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of South Korea. With more than **** millio* residents, half of South Korea’s population lives in this area.

North Korea KP: Rural Population Growth data was reported at -0.058 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of -0.009 % for 2016. North Korea KP: Rural Population Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 0.756 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.630 % in 1971 and a record low of -2.688 % in 1970. North Korea KP: Rural Population Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s North Korea – Table KP.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;

Korea Rural Land Area data was reported at 77,155.289 sq km in 2010. This stayed constant from the previous number of 77,155.289 sq km for 2000. Korea Rural Land Area data is updated yearly, averaging 77,155.289 sq km from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 77,155.289 sq km in 2010 and a record low of 77,155.289 sq km in 2010. Korea Rural Land Area data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.World Bank: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Rural land area in square kilometers, derived from urban extent grids which distinguish urban and rural areas based on a combination of population counts (persons), settlement points, and the presence of Nighttime Lights. Areas are defined as urban where contiguous lighted cells from the Nighttime Lights or approximated urban extents based on buffered settlement points for which the total population is greater than 5,000 persons.; ; Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.; Sum;

Access to electricity, rural (% of rural population) in South Korea was reported at 100 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Korea - Access to electricity, rural (% of rural population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

This horizontal bar chart displays rural population (people) by ISO 3 country code using the aggregation sum in Korea. The data is about countries per year.

Time series data for the statistic Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking, rural (% of rural population) and country Korea, Rep.. Indicator Definition:Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking, rural is the proportion of rural population primarily using clean cooking fuels and technologies for cooking. Under WHO guidelines, kerosene is excluded from clean cooking fuels.

Korea Urban Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 meters: % of Total Population data was reported at 2.027 % in 2010. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.015 % for 2000. Korea Urban Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 meters: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 2.027 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2010, with 3 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.091 % in 1990 and a record low of 2.015 % in 2000. Korea Urban Population Living in Areas Where Elevation is Below 5 meters: % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.World Bank: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Urban population below 5m is the percentage of the total population, living in areas where the elevation is 5 meters or less.; ; Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)/Columbia University. 2013. Urban-Rural Population and Land Area Estimates Version 2. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC). http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/set/lecz-urban-rural-population-land-area-estimates-v2.; Weighted Average;

This horizontal bar chart displays rural population (people) by country using the aggregation sum in Korea. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.