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South Korea: key facts and figures
South Korea has 51.7 million people, Korean as an official language, the South Korean Won and 22 public holidays a year. It ranks 194th of 194 countries for children per woman.
51.7 millionpeople
KRWcurrency
Koreanofficial language
+82calling code
Rightdriving side
Every figure shows how South Korea differs
Population and Demographics
how many people live there, and how that is changing
51.7 millionPopulation
- Annual change-0.06%
- Fertility rate0.7 per woman#194
- Aged 65 and over19.27%#34
Economy
the size of the economy and how fast it is growing
$36,227Output per person
- Total economy$1.87 trillion#13
- Real growth+1%#161
- Inflation2.1%#124
Human Development
health, schooling and income combined into one index
0.937Human Development Index
- Adjusted for inequality0.857#18
- Life expectancy84.3 years#3
- Mean schooling12.7 years#28
Currency
what money is used and its official code
South Korean WonCurrency
- ISO 4217 codeKRW
- Symbolâ‚©
- CapitalSeoul
Languages
which languages hold official status
KoreanOfficial languages
- Text directionLeft to right
Practical Country Info
plugs, voltage, driving side and dialling
Type C, Type FPlug types
- Mains voltage230 V
- Driving sideRight
- Calling code+82
- Time zoneAsia/Seoul
Public Holidays
official days off through the year
22Public holidays in 2026
- Jan 1New Year's Day
- Feb 16Seollal Holiday
- Feb 17Seollal
Digital Adoption
how many people are online and how digital the state is
97.9%Internet use
- E-government index0.968#4
- Global rank#4
Geography and Environment
terrain, climate and physical setting
Coastal countryPhysical setting
- Highest pointTaebaek-Sobaek mountain system
- ClimateThe country has four distinct seasons under a temperate monsoon climate, with most precipitation concentrated in the warmer months.
Education
how the school system is structured
2,345,488Elementary pupils
- Middle-school pupils1,370,356
- High-school pupils1,299,466
- General-university students1,837,620
Nearby in the index
Other country profiles alongside South Korea
About this profile
Every figure on this page is a summary of a fuller page, and each links to it. Sources, data years and methodology notes sit on those pages rather than here. Where a subject carries no published figure for South Korea, it is left off this profile rather than shown as empty.