Republic of Korea Population Pyramid 2021

Republic of Korea
2021
Population: 51,848,397

Year

-5 -1   2021  +1 +5

Country

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
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Republic of Korea in 2021

The population of the Republic of Korea in 2021 was 51,848,397. A decade earlier, in 2011, the population was 49,127,644; it has grown by 5.5% since.

Half of the population was younger than 44.4 years; 11.8% were children under 15 and 16.7% were 65 or older. The pyramid is constrictive: cohorts of children are smaller than those of their parents, reflecting low fertility and an ageing population.

Share of the population by age group, 1950–2100

Data source: United Nations World Population Prospects, 2024 revision (medium variant) — last updated July 2024.

Population
51,848,397
Median age
44.4
0-14 %
11.8%
65+ %
16.7%
Child dependency
16.5
Old-age dependency
23.3
Region
Pyramid shape
Population 2050
45,143,134
Population 2100
21,848,791
Births per woman
Total fertility rate, 1960–2023
123456
1960Replacement level (2.1)2023 · 0.72

The fertility rate of the Republic of Korea was 0.72 births per woman in 2023, under the 2.1 needed to replace each generation.

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.

Life expectancy at birth
Years, 1960–2023
Total Women Men
405060708090
19602023 · 83.4

Life expectancy at birth was 83.4 years in 2023: 86.4 for women and 80.6 for men.

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, latest available year.

People supported per 100 workers
Dependency ratios, 1950–2100
Children Older adults
306090120
19502100
Where immigrants come from (2024)

1,618,971 immigrants live in Republic of Korea, 3.1% of the population.

China756,684
Viet Nam260,609
Thailand199,861
Uzbekistan59,361
United States of America53,226
Where emigrants live (2024)

2,028,575 people born in Republic of Korea live in other countries.

United States of America1,083,174
Japan393,944
Canada151,409
Australia114,174
China65,073
Explore
Immigration statistics Origin of migrant stocks map

Source: United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024.

Country Population Median age Relative size
Republic of Korea 51,848,398 44.4
Dem. People's Republic of Korea 26,232,534 36.6
Taiwan 23,558,333 43.4
China, Hong Kong SAR 7,484,602 46.0
Mongolia 3,339,674 27.4
How many people lived in the Republic of Korea in 2021?
In 2021, the Republic of Korea's population was 51,848,397.
Is the population of the Republic of Korea increasing or decreasing?
The Republic of Korea's population grew 5.5% over the previous ten years, and is projected to reach 45,143,134 by 2050.
How old is the population of the Republic of Korea?
The median age in the Republic of Korea is 44.4 years — half the population is younger, half older.
What share of the Republic of Korea's population is over 65 or under 15?
16.7% of the Republic of Korea's population is 65 or older, and 11.8% is under 15.
What shape is the Republic of Korea's population pyramid, and what does it mean?
The Republic of Korea's pyramid is constrictive — narrower at the base than the middle, the signature of sustained low fertility and population ageing.

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