South Korea: capital, population, area and flag
South Korea is a country in Eastern Asia (Asia). Its capital is Seoul. The population is about 51.7M (#29 of 193) and the area is about 100,460 km² (#107 of 193).
Key facts
- Capital
- Seoul
- Region
- Asia / Eastern Asia
- Population
- 51,684,564 (2025) #29 of 193
- Total area
- 100,460 km² (2024) #107 of 193
- Population density
- 530.2 people/km² (2024) #15 of 193
- GDP (total)
- $1.87T (2025) #13 of 189
- GDP per capita
- $36,227 (2025) #33 of 189
- Life expectancy
- 83.6 years (2024) #11 of 193
- Distance from Japan
- 1,151 km #192 of 192
- Area compared with Japan
- about 1/4 that of Japan
- Population compared with Japan
- about 1/2 that of Japan
- Main languages
- Korean
- Currency
- South Korean Won (KRW)
- Calling code
- +82
- Time zone (capital)
- UTC+9
- Time difference from Japan (standard time)
- Same time as Japan
- Driving side
- Right
- Capital location
- 37.56°N 126.99°E
Population of South Korea, 1950–2100 (Japanese)
See past estimates, future projections and the population pyramid in the World Population Time Machine.
Map of South Korea
Capital: Seoul
South Korea: number one in the world
South Korea ranks first in the world for these crops, animals, seafood and farm products (latest FAO data). Select one to see the whole ranking.
South Korea: in the world’s top 10 for food & farming
South Korea ranks among the world’s top 10 for these crops, animals, seafood and farm products (latest FAO data).
- #2 Largehead hairtail (cutlassfish) 44.5K t
- #2 Oysters 325K t
- #3 Skipjack tuna 249K t
- #3 Seaweeds and other aquatic plants 1.73M t
- #3 Freshwater eels 16K t
- #4 Cabbages 2.38M t
- #4 Bigeye tuna 22.1K t
- #4 Flatfishes (flounders, halibuts, soles) 75.4K t
- #5 Garlic 285K t
- #5 Mussels 64.9K t
- #6 Tunas, bonitos and billfishes 387K t
- #7 Clams and cockles 44.2K t
- #8 Yellowfin tuna 56.7K t
- #8 Crabs 55.9K t
- #8 Squids, cuttlefish and octopuses 114K t
- #10 Strawberries 169K t
- #10 Scallops 11.3K t
- #10 Sea urchins, sea cucumbers and other echinoderms 3.34K t
Neighbors by land
Top rankings
South Korea is in the top 10 for:
- #1 Access to electricity (share of people)
- #1 Hospital beds
- #1 Clean cooking fuels (share of people)
- #3 Research spending (share of GDP)
- #3 University and college enrollment
- #4 Life expectancy of women
- #4 Container port traffic (TEU)
- #5 Fixed broadband subscriptions
- #6 Aquaculture (farmed fish and seafood)
- #6 Manufacturing (share of GDP)
South Korea in world rankings
How South Korea compares with other countries, indicator by indicator. Click an indicator to see the full ranking.
Questions about South Korea
What is the capital of South Korea?
The capital of South Korea is Seoul.
What is the population of South Korea?
South Korea has a population of about 51.7M (2025), #29 of 193 among countries.
How big is South Korea?
South Korea covers about 100,460 km², #107 of 193 among countries.
Which continent is South Korea in?
South Korea is in Asia, in the region of Eastern Asia.
What is South Korea number one in the world for in food and farming?
South Korea ranks first in the world for: Pacific cupped oyster 325K t (FAO data).
What currency and languages are used in South Korea?
The currency is the South Korean Won. Main languages: Korean.
How does South Korea compare with Japan in size and population?
The area of South Korea is about 1/4 that of Japan, and its population is about 1/2 that of Japan.
How far is South Korea from Japan?
The capital, Seoul, is about 1,151 km from Tokyo, the capital of Japan, in a straight line.
What is the time difference between South Korea and Japan?
The capital, Seoul, is on UTC+9 in standard time: Same time as Japan.
More countries in Eastern Asia
Play with South Korea
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