Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
Denmark fits inside South Korea 2.3 times.
Denmark: 42,920 km² (2023) · South Korea: 100,450 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Denmark’s coastline is 3 times as long as South Korea’s.
Denmark: 7,314 km (2026 edition) · South Korea: 2,413 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
South Korea’s highest peak towers 1,779 m above Denmark’s.
Denmark: 171 m (2026 edition) · South Korea: 1,950 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
South Korea has 8.6 times as many people as Denmark.
Denmark: 6.01 million (2025) · South Korea: 51.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
South Korea is 3.5 times as densely populated as Denmark.
Denmark: 150 per km² (2025) · South Korea: 530 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in Denmark are 6.4 cm taller than in South Korea.
Denmark: 181.9 cm (2019) · South Korea: 175.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in Denmark are 6.2 cm taller than in South Korea.
Denmark: 169.5 cm (2019) · South Korea: 163.2 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in South Korea is 3.2 years older than in Denmark.
Denmark: 41.2 years (2023) · South Korea: 44.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Denmark have 0.7 more children on average than in South Korea.
Denmark: 1.47 children per woman (2024) · South Korea: 0.75 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
21% of people in Denmark are 65 or older, versus 20% in South Korea.
Denmark: 21.1% (2025) · South Korea: 20.3% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Denmark has produced 20.0 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, South Korea 0.6.
Denmark: 20 (2025) · South Korea: 0.6 (2025)
How many official languages?
Denmark and South Korea are practically level.
Denmark: 1 (2026) · South Korea: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
South Korea’s economy is 4 times the size of Denmark’s.
Denmark: $463 billion (2025) · South Korea: $1.87 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
Denmark produces 32% more per person than South Korea.
Denmark: Int$83,218 (2025) · South Korea: Int$63,125 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in South Korea than in Denmark (Gini 3 points higher).
Denmark: 29.9 (2023) · South Korea: 32.9 (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.5% in Denmark, versus 2.7% in South Korea.
Denmark: 5.5% (2025) · South Korea: 2.7% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
South Korea and Denmark are practically level.
Denmark: 2.4% (2024) · South Korea: 2.6% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Denmark’s price level (US = 100) is 1.6× South Korea’s.
Denmark: 92% (2025) · South Korea: 57% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Denmark spends 2.2 times as much on health per person as South Korea.
Denmark: $6,745 (2024) · South Korea: $3,137 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in South Korea live 1.4 years longer than in Denmark.
Denmark: 82.3 years (2024) · South Korea: 83.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Denmark is 52% more likely to die before turning one than in South Korea.
Denmark: 3.5 per 1,000 (2024) · South Korea: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Denmark has 72% more doctors per person than South Korea.
Denmark: 4.5 per 1,000 (2021) · South Korea: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
15% of adults in Denmark are obese, versus 7.5% in South Korea.
Denmark: 15.2% (2024) · South Korea: 7.5% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
19% of adults in South Korea smoke, versus 16% in Denmark.
Denmark: 15.7% (2024) · South Korea: 18.6% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Denmark rate their lives 1.50 points higher than in South Korea.
Denmark: 7.54 (2025) · South Korea: 6.04 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Denmark drink 15% more alcohol than in South Korea.
Denmark: 9.5 litres (2023) · South Korea: 8.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Denmark has 21% more meat per person than South Korea.
Denmark: 101.3 kg (2023) · South Korea: 84 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Denmark has 304 kcal more food per person per day than South Korea.
Denmark: 3,734 kcal (2023) · South Korea: 3,430 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in South Korea put in 530 more hours a year than in Denmark.
Denmark: 1,380 hours (2023) · South Korea: 1,910 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in Denmark went to school 0.31 years longer than in South Korea.
Denmark: 13 years (2023) · South Korea: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Denmark welcomed 7.6 times as many tourists per resident as South Korea (2019).
Denmark: 2.4 (2022) · South Korea: 0.32 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
100% of people in Denmark are online, versus 98% in South Korea.
Denmark: 100% (2024) · South Korea: 98% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Denmark and South Korea are practically level.
Denmark: 100% (2024) · South Korea: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
89% of people in Denmark live in cities, versus 81% in South Korea.
Denmark: 89% (2025) · South Korea: 81% (2025)
How many phones per person?
South Korea has 173 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Denmark 127.
Denmark: 127 (2024) · South Korea: 173 (2024)
How much railway is there?
South Korea’s railway network is 61% longer than Denmark’s.
Denmark: 2,682 km (2020) · South Korea: 4,309 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Denmark: no data · South Korea: 1.48 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 64% of South Korea, but only 16% of Denmark.
Denmark: 15.8% (2023) · South Korea: 64.1% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in South Korea emits 2.4 times as much CO₂ as someone in Denmark.
Denmark: 4.7 t (2024) · South Korea: 11.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
91% of Denmark’s electricity is renewable, versus 10% in South Korea.
Denmark: 91.2% (2025) · South Korea: 10.4% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in South Korea carries 2.3 times as much fine dust as in Denmark.
Denmark: 9 µg/m³ (2024) · South Korea: 21 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 76% more likely to be murdered in Denmark than in South Korea.
Denmark: 0.8 per 100k (2023) · South Korea: 0.5 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Korea are 3 times as deadly as in Denmark.
Denmark: 2.3 per 100k (2021) · South Korea: 6.9 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
South Korea is on average 3.6 °C warmer than Denmark.
Denmark: 9.6°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 13.2°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
South Korea gets 50% more rain than Denmark.
Denmark: 845 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 1,265 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Denmark bigger than South Korea?
South Korea is larger. Denmark fits inside South Korea 2.3 times.
Which has more people, Denmark or South Korea?
South Korea has 8.6 times as many people as Denmark (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Denmark or South Korea?
People in South Korea live 1.4 years longer than in Denmark. Life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years in Denmark and 83.6 in South Korea.
Are people taller in Denmark or South Korea?
Men in Denmark are 6.4 cm taller than in South Korea (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
