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South Korea vs United States: Compare Statistics

Side-by-side comparison of 179 key metrics across economy, population, geography, and more — latest data through 2026.

South Korea
kor
Leads on 80 of 179 metrics
United States
usa
Leads on 90 of 179 metrics

Summary

United States has 6.8 times as many people as South Korea (349.13 million vs 51.62 million). United States's economy is 17.3 times the size of South Korea's ($32.95 trillion vs $1.91 trillion GDP).

Comparing South Korea and United States: South Korea leads on Oil Exports (907,100) against United States (1.92); South Korea leads on Refined Petroleum Products Imports (908,800) against United States (2.17); South Korea leads on Oil Production (48,400) against United States (9.69). Across 179 compared metrics, South Korea wins on 80 and United States wins on 90.

  • Communications: 9 metrics compared
  • Economy: 67 metrics compared
  • Environment: 11 metrics compared
  • Geography: 7 metrics compared
  • Government: 10 metrics compared
  • Health: 24 metrics compared
  • Military and Security: 3 metrics compared
  • People and Society: 41 metrics compared
  • Transportation: 5 metrics compared
  • Travel and Tourism: 1 metric compared
  • Other: 1 metric compared

Communications

9 metrics
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Fixed Broadband Penetration47.8 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants★38.86 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Internet Penetration Rate (%)97.9 %★94.69 %
Internet Usage Rate by Country (% of Population)97.42 %★93.14 %
Internet Userspercent of population: 97% (2023 est.)percent of population: 93% (2023 est.)
Mobile Internet Speed47.8 Mbps★38.86 Mbps
Press Freedom Index Score64.06 points65.49 points★
Radios47.5575★
Televisions15.9219★
Waterways1,60041,009★

Economy

67 metrics
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Agriculture Value Added as a Share of GDP by Country30.14B $350.60B $★
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by Country in Current US Dollars1.91T $32.95T $★
AI Investment (% of GDP)29.97 %★21.84 %
Bank Account Ownership Rate96.89 %97.02 %★
Central Bank Discount Rate (%)1.5 %★0.5 %
Coal Revenue00.2★
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate (%)3.48 %4.1 %★
Current Health Expenditure (% of GDP)7.6 % of GDP16.9 % of GDP★
Ease of Doing Business Index93.4★92
Electricity Consumption507.6★3.9
Electricity Exports09.7★
Electricity from Fossil Fuels7070
Electricity from Hydroelectric Plants27★
Electricity from Nuclear Fuels21★9
Electricity from Other Renewables814★
Electricity Imports072.72★
Electricity Installed Capacity111.2★1.09
Electricity Production526★4.1
Energy Consumption per Capita (USD)234.67 USD per capita278.47 USD per capita★
Female Labor Force Participation Rate64.39 %68.99 %★
Gender Pay Gap Percentage29.29 %★11.19 %
Gender Wage Gap29.29 %11.19 %★
Gini Index Coefficient32.941.8★
Gross Fixed Investment27.4★12.9
Gross National Saving36.6★18.9
High-Tech Export Percentage71.87 %★59.63 %
Highest GDP per Capita Countries55,697.09 USD76,931.31 USD★
Industrial Production Growth Rate (%)1.1 %3.25 %★
Inflation Rate2.32 %★2.95 %
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)2.3 %★2.9 %
Military Expenditures (% of GDP)2.3 % of GDP3.2 % of GDP★
Natural Gas Consumption45.28767.6★
Natural Gas Exports089.7★
Natural Gas Imports48.6586.15★
Natural Gas Production339.8772.8★
Natural Gas Proved Reserves7.08★0
Number of AI Patents Filed9,682 patents13,124 patents★
Oil Consumption2.2519.15★
Oil Exports907,100★1.92
Oil Imports3.0710.27★
Oil Production48,400★9.69
Oil Proved Reserves020.68★
Population Below Poverty Line14.4 people★15.1 people
Public Debt52.3★114.8
R&D Expenditure (% of GDP)4.94 %★3.45 %
Real GDP Growth Rate (USD)1.4 USD2.8 USD★
Real Interest Rate Trends-0.29 %★-1.26 %
Refined Petroleum Products Consumption2.5819.96★
Refined Petroleum Products Exports1.45.22★
Refined Petroleum Products Imports908,800★2.18
Refined Petroleum Products Production3.320.3★
Remittances0.4★0
Researchers in R&D per Million9,434.76 researchers★4,937.49 researchers
Revenue from Forest Resources0.010.04★
Robotics Research Funding4.94 USD★3.45 USD
Share of population in poverty ($3 a day)0.25★0.5
Tax Burden (% of GDP)13.29 %10.77 %★
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)13.29 % of GDP★10.77 % of GDP
Taxes and Other Revenues15.7★10.6
Top Exporting Countries831.89B USD3.19T USD★
Top FDI Inflows (% of GDP)0.84 %1.3 %★
Total Number of Billionaires49989★
Tourism Contribution to GDP2.5 %3.02 %★
Tourism Revenue (% of GDP)2.5 %3.02 %★
Unemployment Rate2.7 %★4.2 %
Youth Labor Force Participation Rate64.35 %61.7 %★
Youth Unemployment Rate6.7 %★9.34 %

Environment

11 metrics
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Annual CO₂ Emissions Growth (abs)-5.50M-14.29M★
Annual Forest Area Change Rate-3,774.02 %★-72,000 %
Average Annual Temperature13.4 °C★10.43 °C
Carbon Dioxide Emissions644.234.8★
Global Precipitation Distribution1,270.38 mm★810.4 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 northealarge urban clusters are spread throughout the eastern half of the US (particularly the Great Lakes area, northeast, east, and southeast) and the western-tier states; mountainous areas such as the Rocky Mountains and Appalachians, deserts in the southwest
Protected Land Area for Adaptation17.76 sq km★12.85 sq km
Protected Land Area Percentage17.7 %★12.9 %
Total Renewable Groundwater Resources by Country13.3 Cubic meters per year1,383 Cubic meters per year★
Total Renewable Water Resources69.7★3.07
Total Threatened Mammal Species12 species★43 species

Geography

7 metrics
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Percentage of land area by degree of urbanization11.86 %★2.11 %
Above-Ground Biomass in Forest (tonnes/ha)131.69★94.67
Agricultural land15,174 sq. km4.17M sq. km★
Airports per 1,000 Sq Km97,6009.15M★
Coastline Length (km)2,413 km19,924 km★
Dam capacity per capita362.21 cubic meters per inhabitant2,113 cubic meters per inhabitant★
Irrigated Land7,780234,782★

Government

10 metrics
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Rule of Law Index by Country85.98 %88.3 %★
Administrative Divisions950★
Corruption Perception Index64 index★65 index
Corruption Perceptions Index Score64 index65 index★
Independence15★4
LGBT Rights Index Score2.947.08★
Political Stability Index68 index★47 index
Prison Population Rate105 per 100,000★505 per 100,000
Public Sector Corruption Perception64★65
Suffrage Participation Rate1818

Health

24 metrics
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Access to Safe Drinking Water99.28 %★97.57 %
Average BMI for Adults24.4 kg/m²28.8 kg/m²★
Change in Measles Immunization Rate97 %★92 %
Diabetes Deaths Per 100,000 (Age-Std)11.56★26.21
Diabetes Prevalence (% of Population)9.613.7★
Female Life Expectancy Leaders83.63 years★78.89 years
Global Stillbirth Rate Trends0.17 per 1,000 births★0.27 per 1,000 births
Health Care Spending per Capita5,766.77 USD15,459.46 USD★
Health Coverage Index Score88 score88 score
Health Expenditure (% of GDP)9.7 % of GDP16.6 % of GDP★
Highest Male Life Expectancy83.63 years★78.89 years
HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence RateNANA
Hospital Bed Density12.8 people/sq km★2.7 people/sq km
Hospital Beds per Capita12.81 beds per 1,000★2.68 beds per 1,000
Low Birth Weight Prevalence7.46 %★8.26 %
Maternal Mortality Ratio (%)4 %★17 %
Mean Age at First Birth32.2★27.5
Nurses and Midwives Density9.09 per 1,000 people13.38 per 1,000 people★
Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate (%)4.7 %★36.2 %
Out-of-Pocket Health Spending31.75 %10.93 %★
People Living With HIV/AIDSNANA
Public Health Spending (% of GDP)5.06 %14.3 %★
Total Number of Doctors2.613.68★
Underweight Children Under 50.40.4

Military and Security

3 metrics
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Active Military Personnel555,000 personnel1.36M personnel★
Military Expenditure (% of GDP)2.6 %★3.12 %
Total Armed Forces Personnel (PPP)569,0001.40M★

People and Society

41 metrics
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Currently married (Percent)42.12 %51.38 %★
Human Capital Index0.8★0.72
Life expectancy at birth87.65 years★83.22 years
Median age of population46.18 years★38.79 years
Population Change-34,023.3 persons2.26M persons★
Population density521.76 per sq. km38.15 per sq. km★
Total population51.62M persons349.13M persons★
Academic Freedom Index0.85★0.4
Average Female Breast Size by Country: Worldwide Data & RankingsAA-AC★
Beer Consumption per Capita1.67 liters3.86 liters★
Birth Rate (%)4.29 %10.75 %★
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate82.3 %★73.9 %
Crude Birth Rate4.7 per 1,000 people10.6 per 1,000 people★
Death Rate (%)6.94 %★8.76 %
Education Expenditure (% of GDP)5.8 % of GDP★5.4 % of GDP
Female population of reproductive age10.86M persons78.56M persons★
Female Tertiary Enrollment Rate (%)94.49 %94.85 %★
Fixed Broadband Penetration Rate47.8 %★38.86 %
Global Average Sex Ratio at Birth105.75 male/female★104.75 male/female
Human Development Index0.82★0.75
Labor Force Participation Rate29.71174.17★
Learning-adjusted years of school11.74 years★11.07 years
Length of paid parental leave for mother365 days★183.4 days
Major Urban Areas Population9.99 people18.94 people★
Mean Male Height (cm)174.92177.13★
Mean Years of Schooling13.68 years★13.32 years
Military Manpower at Military Age1818
Military Service Age and Obligation18★17
Old-Age Dependency Ratio25.91 %★26.8 %
Percentage of population by degree of urbanization90.48 %★74.52 %
Physician Density2.61 people/sq km3.68 people/sq km★
Population Growth Rate-0.09 %0.45 %★
Population living in slums5.46 %★0.05 %
Primary School Pupil-Teacher Ratio16.2914.2★
Total deaths375,161.5 persons★2.87M persons
Total demand for family planning (Percent)54.27 %65.73 %★
Total fertility rate0.72 per woman1.61 per woman★
Total net-migration106,057.5 persons1.49M persons★
Under-five mortality rate2.38 per live births★5.52 per live births
Urban Population Annual Growth Rate-0.12 %0.61 %★
Voting Age Population66.19 millions★62.36 millions

Transportation

5 metrics
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Air Travel Trips Per Capita (PPP)1.322.06★
Airports9216,116★
Annual Human Space Visits (Total)03★
Civil Air Travel938,252★
Heliports1,2808,130★

Travel and Tourism

1 metric
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Tourism Receipts per Capita22.00B USD251.65B USD★

Other

1 metric
Metric🇰🇷 South Korea🇺🇸 United StatesShare
Current Bank Rate2.5 %3.75 %★

Frequently Asked Questions About South Korea vs United States

Which has a larger population, South Korea or United States?▾

United States. United States has 6.8 times as many people as South Korea (349.13 million vs 51.62 million). Data for 2026.

Which has a bigger economy, South Korea or United States?▾

United States. United States's economy is 17.3 times the size of South Korea's ($32.95 trillion vs $1.91 trillion GDP). Data for 2026.

Which is richer per person, South Korea or United States?▾

United States is richer per person: GDP per capita is about $94,373 in United States vs $36,950 in South Korea (2026 GDP in current US dollars divided by population).

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