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Geo Factbook

South Korea vs United Kingdom: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 177 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more ā€” latest data through 2026.

South Korea
kor
Leads on 90 of 177 metrics
United Kingdom
gbr
Leads on 75 of 177 metrics

Summary

United Kingdom has 36% more people than South Korea (69.96 million vs 51.62 million). United Kingdom's economy is 2.2 times the size of South Korea's ($4.1 trillion vs $1.91 trillion GDP).

Comparing South Korea and United Kingdom: South Korea leads on Oil Exports (907,100) against United Kingdom (1.31); United Kingdom leads on Refined Petroleum Products Exports (613,800) against South Korea (1.40); South Korea leads on Oil Production (48,400) against United Kingdom (1.39). Across 177 compared metrics, South Korea wins on 90 and United Kingdom wins on 75.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 9 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 40 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration47.8 subscriptions per 100 inhabitantsā˜…42.16 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)97.9 %ā˜…95.47 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)97.42 %ā˜…96.3 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 97% (2023 est.)percent of population: 96% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed47.8 Mbpsā˜…42.16 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score64.06 points78.89 pointsā˜…
Radios47.584.5ā˜…
Televisions15.930.5ā˜…
Waterways1,6003,200ā˜…

Economy

67 metrics
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country30.14B $31.15B $ā˜…
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars1.91T $4.10T $ā˜…
AI Investment (% of GDP)29.97 %ā˜…19.12 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate96.89 %99.28 %ā˜…
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)1.5 %ā˜…0.25 %
Coal Revenue00
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)3.48 %4.38 %ā˜…
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.6 % of GDP10 % of GDPā˜…
Ease of Doing Business Index93.493.8ā˜…
Electricity Consumption507.6ā˜…309.2
Electricity Exports02.15ā˜…
Electricity from Fossil Fuels70ā˜…50
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants22
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels21ā˜…9
Electricity from Other Renewables839ā˜…
Electricity Imports019.7ā˜…
Electricity Installed Capacity111.2ā˜…97.06
Electricity Production526ā˜…318.2
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)234.67 USD per capitaā˜…94.28 USD per capita
Female Labor Force Participation Rate64.39 %73.49 %ā˜…
Gender Pay Gap Percentage29.29 %ā˜…16.91 %
Gender Wage Gap29.29 %16.91 %ā˜…
Gini Index Coefficient32.9ā˜…32.4
Gross Fixed Investment27.4ā˜…13.9
Gross National Saving36.6ā˜…13.6
High-Tech Export Percentage71.87 %ā˜…63.43 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries55,697.09 USDā˜…53,993.12 USD
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.1 %ā˜…-0.5 %
Inflation Rate2.12 %ā˜…3.88 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.3 %ā˜…3.3 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.3 % of GDP2.4 % of GDPā˜…
Natural Gas Consumption45.2879.17ā˜…
Natural Gas Exports011.27ā˜…
Natural Gas Imports48.65ā˜…47
Natural Gas Production339.8ā˜…42.11
Natural Gas Proved Reserves7.08176ā˜…
Number of AI Patents Filed9,682 patentsā˜…478 patents
Oil Consumption2.25ā˜…1.62
Oil Exports907,100ā˜…1.31
Oil Imports3.07ā˜…1.45
Oil Production48,400ā˜…1.39
Oil Proved Reserves02.86ā˜…
Population Below Poverty Line14.4 peopleā˜…18.6 people
Public Debt52.3ā˜…138.6
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)4.94 %ā˜…2.68 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1.4 USDā˜…1.1 USD
Real Interest Rate Trends3.18 %ā˜…-1.08 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption2.58ā˜…1.58
Refined Petroleum Products Exports1.4613,800ā˜…
Refined Petroleum Products Imports908,800ā˜…907,500
Refined Petroleum Products Production3.3ā˜…1.29
Remittances0.4ā˜…0.1
Researchers in R&D per Million7,453.22 researchersā˜…4,472.69 researchers
Revenue from Forest Resources0.010.01
Robotics Research Funding4.94 USDā˜…2.68 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.25ā˜…0.5
Tax Burden (% of GDP)13.29 %ā˜…26.89 %
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)13.29 % of GDP26.89 % of GDPā˜…
Taxes and Other Revenues15.727.4ā˜…
Top Exporting Countries831.89B USD1.14T USDā˜…
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.84 %1.91 %ā˜…
Total Number of Billionaires4956ā˜…
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.5 %3.65 %ā˜…
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.5 %3.65 %ā˜…
Unemployment Rate2.7 %ā˜…4.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate64.35 %61.37 %ā˜…
Youth Unemployment Rate6.7 %ā˜…14.65 %

Environment

11 metrics
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Annual COā‚‚ Emissions Growth (abs)-5.50Mā˜…5.08M
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-3,774.02 %12,600 %ā˜…
Average Annual Temperature13.4 Ā°Cā˜…10.37 Ā°C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions644.23340.94ā˜…
Global Precipitation Distribution1,270.38 mmā˜…962.53 mm
Population Distributionthe population is primarily concentrated in the lowland areas, where density is high; Gyeonggi Province in the northwest, which surrounds the capital of Seoul and contains the port of Incheon, is the most densely populated province; Gangwon in the northeathe core of the population lies in and around London, with significant clusters found in central Britain around Manchester and Liverpool, in the Scottish lowlands between Edinburgh and Glasgow, in southern Wales in and around Cardiff, and in far-eastern N
Protected Land Area for Adaptation17.76 sq km28.58 sq kmā˜…
Protected Land Area Percentage17.7 %28.4 %ā˜…
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country13.3 Cubic meters per yearā˜…9.8 Cubic meters per year
Total Renewable Water Resources69.7147ā˜…
Total Threatened Mammal Species12 species4 speciesā˜…

Geography

7 metrics
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization11.86 %ā˜…9.75 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)131.69ā˜…115
Agricultural land15,174 sq. km172,448.2 sq. kmā˜…
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km97,600241,930ā˜…
Coastline Length (km)2,413 km12,429 kmā˜…
Dam capacity per capita362.21 cubic meters per inhabitantā˜…75.83 cubic meters per inhabitant
Irrigated Land7,780ā˜…718

Government

9 metrics
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Rule of Law Index by Country85.98 %86.77 %ā˜…
Administrative Divisions9England: 24 two-tier counties, 32 London boroughs and 1 City of London or Greater London, 36 metropolitan districts, 59 unitary authorities (including 4 single-tier counties*) two-tier counties: Cambridgeshire, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, East Sussex, Ess
Corruption Perception Index64 indexā˜…71 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score64 index71 indexā˜…
Independence15no official date of independence: 927 (minor English kingdoms unite); 3 March 1284 (enactment of the Statute of Rhuddlan uniting England and Wales); 1536 (Act of Union incorporates England and Wales); 1 May 1707 (Acts of Union unite England, Scotland, and
LGBT Rights Index Score2.9410.98ā˜…
Prison Population Rate105 per 100,000ā˜…130.64 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception64ā˜…71
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water99.28 %99.82 %ā˜…
Average BMI for Adults24.4 kg/mĀ²27.3 kg/mĀ²ā˜…
Change in Measles Immunization Rate97 %ā˜…89 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)9.988.38ā˜…
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)9.6ā˜…7.4
Female Life Expectancy Leaders83.63 yearsā˜…81.39 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.17 per 1,000 birthsā˜…0.25 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita5,766.77 USD7,011.86 USDā˜…
Health Coverage Index Score88 score88 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.7 % of GDP11.3 % of GDPā˜…
Highest Male Life Expectancy83.63 yearsā˜…81.39 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNANA
Hospital Bed Density12.8 people/sq kmā˜…2.4 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita12.81 beds per 1,000ā˜…2.42 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence7.46 %6.83 %ā˜…
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)4 %ā˜…8 %
Mean Age at First Birth32.2ā˜…29
Nurses and Midwives Density9.09 per 1,000 peopleā˜…9.06 per 1,000 people
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)4.7 %ā˜…27.8 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending31.75 %14.63 %ā˜…
People Living With HIV/AIDSNANA
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)5.06 %8.98 %ā˜…
Total Number of Doctors2.613.14ā˜…
Underweight Children Under 50.4ā˜…0.6

Military and Security

3 metrics
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Active Military Personnel555,000 personnelā˜…150,000 personnel
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.6 %2.35 %ā˜…
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)569,000ā˜…153,000

People and Society

40 metrics
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Currently married (Percent)42.12 %46.59 %ā˜…
Human Capital Index0.8ā˜…0.79
Life expectancy at birth87.65 yearsā˜…83.69 years
Median age of population46.18 yearsā˜…40.33 years
Population Change-34,023.3 persons377,688.2 personsā˜…
Population density521.76 per sq. km288.63 per sq. kmā˜…
Total population51.62M persons69.96M personsā˜…
Academic Freedom Index0.85ā˜…0.67
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA-ACā˜…
Beer Consumption per Capita1.67 liters3.54 litersā˜…
Birth Rate (%)4.29 %10.76 %ā˜…
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate82.3 %ā˜…76.1 %
Crude Birth Rate4.7 per 1,000 people9.89 per 1,000 peopleā˜…
Death Rate (%)6.94 %ā˜…9.25 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.8 % of GDP5.9 % of GDPā˜…
Female population of reproductive age10.86M persons15.28M personsā˜…
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)99.22 %ā˜…93.5 %
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate47.8 %ā˜…42.16 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.75 male/femaleā˜…105.42 male/female
Human Development Index0.82ā˜…0.78
Labor Force Participation Rate29.7135.36ā˜…
Learning-adjusted years of school11.74 yearsā˜…11.65 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother365 daysā˜…0 days
Major Urban Areas Population9.99 peopleā˜…9.65 people
Mean Male Height (cm)174.92177.49ā˜…
Mean Years of Schooling13.68 yearsā˜…12.9 years
Military Service Age and Obligation18ā˜…16
Old-Age Dependency Ratio25.91 %ā˜…30.33 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization90.48 %ā˜…86.48 %
Physician Density2.61 people/sq km3.3 people/sq kmā˜…
Population Growth Rate-0.09 %0.4 %ā˜…
Population living in slums5.46 %ā˜…0.16 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio16.2915.13ā˜…
Total deaths375,161.5 personsā˜…675,626.2 persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)54.27 %75.07 %ā˜…
Total fertility rate0.72 per woman1.53 per womanā˜…
Total net-migration106,057.5 persons375,700.7 personsā˜…
Under-five mortality rate2.38 per live birthsā˜…4.03 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.12 %0.39 %ā˜…
Voting Age Population66.19 millionsā˜…52.79 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.322.25ā˜…
Airports921,057ā˜…
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)00
Civil Air Travel93618ā˜…
Heliports1,280ā˜…139

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita22.00B USD84.55B USDā˜…

Other

1 metric
MetricšŸ‡°šŸ‡· South KoreašŸ‡¬šŸ‡§ United KingdomShare
Current Bank Rate2.5 %3.75 %ā˜…

Frequently Asked Questions About South Korea vs United Kingdom

Which has a larger population, South Korea or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom. United Kingdom has 36% more people than South Korea (69.96 million vs 51.62 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, South Korea or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom. United Kingdom's economy is 2.2 times the size of South Korea's ($4.1 trillion vs $1.91 trillion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, South Korea or United Kingdom?ā–¾

United Kingdom is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $58,622 in United Kingdom vs $36,950 in South Korea (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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