Contraceptive use — all countries

Contraceptive use — South Korea

Contraceptive use in South Korea in 2021 — 84.2%. Ranked 1 in the world out of 18. Since 1965, the indicator has risen by 68.2 pp.

2021 84.2% +1.9 pp vs 2018
World rank 1of 18
Period maximum 84.5%2003
Period minimum 16%1965

Trend over time

1965–2021 · % of women aged 15–49

Contraceptive use — South Korea, 1965–2021025507510019651971197719831989199520012007201320191965: 16%1966: 20%1971: 24.2%1974: 34.9%1976: 44.2%1979: 54.5%1982: 57.7%1985: 70.4%1988: 77.1%1991: 79.4%1994: 77.4%1997: 80.5%2000: 79.3%2003: 84.5%2005: 80.2%2006: 79.6%2009: 80%2012: 77.1%2015: 79.6%2018: 82.3%2021: 84.2%
Change over the period: +68.2 pp Annual average: 1.22 pp
Contraceptive use — South Korea, by year South Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2021 84.2
2018 82.3
2015 79.6
2012 77.1
2009 80
2006 79.6 −0.6 pp
2005 80.2
2003 84.5
2000 79.3
1997 80.5
1994 77.4
1991 79.4
1988 77.1
1985 70.4
1982 57.7
1979 54.5
1976 44.2
1974 34.9
1971 24.2
1966 20 +4 pp
1965 16

Eastern Asia, 2021

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

KR South Korea 84.2 JP Japan 58.3

About the indicator

The share of women aged 15–49 who are married or in a union and use any method of contraception. The indicator explains fertility better than income or education taken separately: in most countries the fall in fertility followed the rise of this share rather than the other way around. All methods are counted, including traditional ones, so the value is higher than the share using modern means.

Important: Only women in a marriage or a union — unmarried women are not in the denominator, and in countries where marriage comes late this noticeably changes the picture. The data come from household surveys, and the years are intermittent.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.