Korea, Rep. — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Korea, Rep., 1961–2025.
Population growth for Korea, Rep. was -0.13% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 2.97% in 1961. The lowest was -0.19% in 2022 (about 1.5× the latest value).
Korea, Rep. ranks 182 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 84%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 0.64%, so Korea, Rep. sits below it. It peaked in 1961 and has fallen 104% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 124%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 27 of 37 economies; Macao SAR, China (-0.16%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 273% in 2025. That is 177% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 52nd of 216 in 1961 → 113th of 216 in 1970 → 127th of 216 in 1980 → 146th of 216 in 1990 → 144th of 217 in 2000 → 148th of 217 in 2010 → 161st of 217 in 2020 → 182nd of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | -0.13% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 0.07% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 0.08% | +0.3 pp |
| 2022 | -0.19% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | -0.13% | -0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 0.14% | -0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 0.35% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 0.43% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 0.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 0.53% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 0.63% | +0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 0.46% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 0.53% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 0.77% | +0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 0.5% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 0.51% | -0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 0.76% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 0.51% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 0.53% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 0.21% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 0.4% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 0.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 0.58% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 0.77% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 0.84% | +0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 0.71% | -0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 0.72% | -0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 0.94% | -0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 0.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 1.01% | +0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 1.01% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 1.02% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 1.04% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 0.99% | +0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 0.99% | -0.0 pp |
| 1989 | 0.99% | +0.0 pp |
| 1988 | 0.98% | -0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 0.99% | -0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 0.99% | +0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 0.98% | -0.2 pp |
| 1984 | 1.23% | -0.2 pp |
| 1983 | 1.47% | -0.1 pp |
| 1982 | 1.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 1.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 1.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 1.52% | -0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 1.52% | -0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 1.56% | -0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 1.6% | -0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 1.68% | -0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 1.71% | -0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 1.77% | -0.1 pp |
| 1972 | 1.88% | -0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 1.97% | -0.2 pp |
| 1970 | 2.18% | -0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 2.26% | -0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 2.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 2.34% | -0.2 pp |
| 1966 | 2.51% | -0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 2.54% | -0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 2.62% | -0.2 pp |
| 1963 | 2.78% | -0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 2.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 2.97% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Korea, Rep.’s Population growth in 1962?
2.86% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Korea, Rep.’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -104.3% in total.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: -0.13%; 2024: 0.07%; 2023: 0.08%; 2022: -0.19%; 2021: -0.13%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.