Rural population in South Korea in 2025 — 9,730,122 people. Ranked 55 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 46.2%.
1960–2025 · people
How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Korea
| Year | people | Change | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 9.73M | −15,508 | −0.16% |
| 2024 | 9.75M | +5,328 | +0.05% |
| 2023 | 9.74M | +6,479 | +0.07% |
| 2022 | 9.73M | −18,703 | −0.19% |
| 2021 | 9.75M | −5,149 | −0.05% |
| 2020 | 9.76M | +72,532 | +0.75% |
| 2019 | 9.69M | +81,219 | +0.85% |
| 2018 | 9.6M | +87,091 | +0.92% |
| 2017 | 9.52M | +70,183 | +0.74% |
| 2016 | 9.45M | +80,045 | +0.85% |
| 2015 | 9.37M | +95,986 | +1.04% |
| 2014 | 9.27M | +106,145 | +1.16% |
| 2013 | 9.16M | +82,713 | +0.91% |
| 2012 | 9.08M | +73,961 | +0.82% |
| 2011 | 9.01M | +72,454 | +0.81% |
| 2010 | 8.94M | +22,711 | +0.25% |
| 2009 | 8.91M | +1,888 | +0.02% |
| 2008 | 8.91M | +7,545 | +0.08% |
| 2007 | 8.9M | −25,689 | −0.29% |
| 2006 | 8.93M | −38,191 | −0.43% |
| 2005 | 8.97M | −118,405 | −1.3% |
| 2004 | 9.09M | −154,000 | −1.67% |
| 2003 | 9.24M | −157,661 | −1.68% |
| 2002 | 9.4M | −134,311 | −1.41% |
| 2001 | 9.53M | −67,616 | −0.7% |
| 2000 | 9.6M | −21,517 | −0.22% |
| 1999 | 9.62M | −15,685 | −0.16% |
| 1998 | 9.64M | −17,742 | −0.18% |
| 1997 | 9.65M | −19,605 | −0.2% |
| 1996 | 9.67M | −66,265 | −0.68% |
| 1995 | 9.74M | −144,389 | −1.46% |
| 1994 | 9.88M | −232,630 | −2.3% |
| 1993 | 10.12M | −296,827 | −2.85% |
| 1992 | 10.41M | −340,657 | −3.17% |
| 1991 | 10.75M | −398,002 | −3.57% |
| 1990 | 11.15M | −535,508 | −4.58% |
| 1989 | 11.69M | −674,419 | −5.46% |
| 1988 | 12.36M | −722,354 | −5.52% |
| 1987 | 13.08M | −690,126 | −5.01% |
| 1986 | 13.77M | −590,747 | −4.11% |
| 1985 | 14.37M | −524,274 | −3.52% |
| 1984 | 14.89M | −458,015 | −2.98% |
| 1983 | 15.35M | −402,144 | −2.55% |
| 1982 | 15.75M | −384,450 | −2.38% |
| 1981 | 16.13M | −390,151 | −2.36% |
| 1980 | 16.52M | −403,817 | −2.39% |
| 1979 | 16.93M | −411,783 | −2.37% |
| 1978 | 17.34M | −391,378 | −2.21% |
| 1977 | 17.73M | −345,540 | −1.91% |
| 1976 | 18.08M | −280,380 | −1.53% |
| 1975 | 18.36M | −199,620 | −1.08% |
| 1974 | 18.56M | −149,373 | −0.8% |
| 1973 | 18.71M | −127,138 | −0.68% |
| 1972 | 18.83M | −124,013 | −0.65% |
| 1971 | 18.96M | −158,437 | −0.83% |
| 1970 | 19.12M | −217,423 | −1.12% |
| 1969 | 19.33M | −238,582 | −1.22% |
| 1968 | 19.57M | −146,002 | −0.74% |
| 1967 | 19.72M | +26,688 | +0.14% |
| 1966 | 19.69M | +161,738 | +0.83% |
| 1965 | 19.53M | +208,363 | +1.08% |
| 1964 | 19.32M | +253,832 | +1.33% |
| 1963 | 19.07M | +305,106 | +1.63% |
| 1962 | 18.76M | +326,671 | +1.77% |
| 1961 | 18.44M | +348,178 | +1.92% |
| 1960 | 18.09M | — | — |
The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages
The population living outside urban settlements. In the catalog this quantity was present only as a share, while the absolute number shows what the share does not: the world's rural population stopped growing only in the 2020s and still exceeds three billion people, even though the share has been falling for half a century. Each country defines a city itself, so cross-country comparisons of this series call for caution.
Important: It is computed as the difference between total and urban population, and the criterion for a city is national: in some places it is a settlement of two thousand residents, in others twenty thousand. Comparing the trend within a country is more reliable than comparing countries with each other.
Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.
The part of residents living outside cities — the other side of urbanization.
Demography Urban populationThe absolute number of city dwellers by country.
Demography PopulationResident population of every country as of mid-year — series from 1960 onward.
Labor Employment in agricultureThe share of workers employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing.
