Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre in South Korea
South Korea: Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre was 29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
11th
of 181 countries
All-time high
29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
391,133 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre for gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 42.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Korea peaked at 29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 391,133 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places South Korea 11th out of 181 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre in South Korea, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 391,133 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 394,601 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 440,371 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +11.6% |
| 1964 | 479,574 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1965 | 504,757 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1966 | 572,908 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +13.5% |
| 1967 | 604,390 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 1968 | 675,329 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +11.7% |
| 1969 | 768,609 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +13.8% |
| 1970 | 835,041 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1971 | 985,542 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +18.0% |
| 1972 | 1.11 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +13.0% |
| 1973 | 1.36 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +22.4% |
| 1974 | 1.63 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +19.4% |
| 1975 | 1.88 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +15.4% |
| 1976 | 2.04 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1977 | 2.22 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1978 | 2.42 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1979 | 2.55 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1980 | 2.42 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -5.1% |
| 1981 | 2.58 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +6.7% |
| 1982 | 2.77 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1983 | 3.12 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +12.5% |
| 1984 | 3.43 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +10.0% |
| 1985 | 3.61 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1986 | 4.25 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +17.8% |
| 1987 | 4.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +16.1% |
| 1988 | 5.62 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +13.9% |
| 1989 | 6.23 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +10.7% |
| 1990 | 7.02 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +12.7% |
| 1991 | 7.99 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +13.8% |
| 1992 | 8.65 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.3% |
| 1993 | 9.51 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +9.8% |
| 1994 | 10.70 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +12.6% |
| 1995 | 12.03 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +12.4% |
| 1996 | 13.44 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +11.7% |
| 1997 | 13.19 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 1998 | 11.63 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -11.8% |
| 1999 | 12.91 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +11.0% |
| 2000 | 13.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 2001 | 14.35 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 15.54 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.3% |
| 2003 | 16.16 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 17.18 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 18.55 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 2006 | 19.23 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 20.37 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 2008 | 20.47 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 19.79 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 21.25 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 2011 | 21.31 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 21.43 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 20.95 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 22.03 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 23.42 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 2016 | 24.23 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 25.11 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2018 | 26.01 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 27.04 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 27.31 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 28.65 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 29.40 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | +1.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 5.60 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre, 5.3× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.25 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre, 9.2× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 536,852 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 391,133 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 768,609 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.70 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 835,041 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 2.55 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.90 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 2.42 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 6.23 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.71 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 7.02 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 13.44 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.56 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 13.94 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 20.47 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.28 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 20.95 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 27.04 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.80 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 27.31 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 8 Netherlands 37.53 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
- 9 Maldives 32.72 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
- 10 Qatar 30.28 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
- 12 Aruba 27.18 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
- 13 Luxembourg 24.39 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
- 14 Belgium 22.33 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre compare
More economy & growth data for South Korea
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 41.23 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 797.74 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 15.80 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 22.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0084 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 305.78 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 4.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2332 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 8,447 includes gold, current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Korea?
- Gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre in South Korea was 29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 29.84 million international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 391,133 international-$ in 2021 prices per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Korea rank for gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre?
- South Korea ranks 11th out of 181 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gross domestic product (gdp), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Gross domestic product (GDP), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Gross domestic product (GDP) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Gross domestic product (GDP) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Gross domestic product (GDP) Feenstra et al. – Penn World Table (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Gross domestic product (GDP) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.