Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
South Korea fits inside France 6 times.
France: 606,410 km² (2023) · South Korea: 100,450 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
France’s coastline is 2 times as long as South Korea’s.
France: 4,853 km (2026 edition) · South Korea: 2,413 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
France’s highest peak towers 2,860 m above South Korea’s.
France: 4,810 m (2026 edition) · South Korea: 1,950 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
France has 33% more people than South Korea.
France: 68.7 million (2025) · South Korea: 51.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
South Korea is 4.2 times as densely populated as France.
France: 128 per km² (2025) · South Korea: 530 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in France are 3.1 cm taller than in South Korea.
France: 178.6 cm (2019) · South Korea: 175.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in France are 1.3 cm taller than in South Korea.
France: 164.5 cm (2019) · South Korea: 163.2 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in South Korea is 2.7 years older than in France.
France: 41.8 years (2023) · South Korea: 44.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in France have 0.9 more children on average than in South Korea.
France: 1.61 children per woman (2024) · South Korea: 0.75 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
23% of people in France are 65 or older, versus 20% in South Korea.
France: 22.5% (2025) · South Korea: 20.3% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
France has produced 9.3 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, South Korea 0.6.
France: 9.3 (2025) · South Korea: 0.6 (2025)
How many official languages?
France and South Korea are practically level.
France: 1 (2026) · South Korea: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
France’s economy is 80% larger than South Korea’s.
France: $3.37 trillion (2025) · South Korea: $1.87 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
France produces 1% more per person than South Korea.
France: Int$63,975 (2025) · South Korea: Int$63,125 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in South Korea than in France (Gini 1.1 points higher).
France: 31.8 (2023) · South Korea: 32.9 (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 7.5% in France, versus 2.7% in South Korea.
France: 7.5% (2025) · South Korea: 2.7% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
South Korea spends 2.6% of its GDP on the military, France 2.1%.
France: 2.1% (2024) · South Korea: 2.6% (2024)
How expensive is it?
France’s price level (US = 100) is 1.3× South Korea’s.
France: 77% (2025) · South Korea: 57% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
France spends 70% more on health per person than South Korea.
France: $5,327 (2024) · South Korea: $3,137 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in South Korea live 0.65 years longer than in France.
France: 83 years (2024) · South Korea: 83.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in France is 48% more likely to die before turning one than in South Korea.
France: 3.4 per 1,000 (2024) · South Korea: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
France has 26% more doctors per person than South Korea.
France: 3.3 per 1,000 (2022) · South Korea: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
13% of adults in France are obese, versus 7.5% in South Korea.
France: 12.5% (2024) · South Korea: 7.5% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
34% of adults in France smoke, versus 19% in South Korea.
France: 33.6% (2024) · South Korea: 18.6% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in France rate their lives 0.55 points higher than in South Korea.
France: 6.59 (2025) · South Korea: 6.04 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in France drink 35% more alcohol than in South Korea.
France: 11.2 litres (2023) · South Korea: 8.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
South Korea has 5% more meat per person than France.
France: 80.3 kg (2023) · South Korea: 84 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
France has 59 kcal more food per person per day than South Korea.
France: 3,490 kcal (2023) · South Korea: 3,430 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in South Korea put in 423 more hours a year than in France.
France: 1,487 hours (2023) · South Korea: 1,910 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in South Korea went to school 0.96 year longer than in France.
France: 11.8 years (2023) · South Korea: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
France welcomed 4.3 times as many tourists per resident as South Korea (2019).
France: 1.35 (2019) · South Korea: 0.32 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
98% of people in South Korea are online, versus 89% in France.
France: 89% (2024) · South Korea: 98% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
France and South Korea are practically level.
France: 100% (2024) · South Korea: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
81% of people in South Korea live in cities, versus 79% in France.
France: 79% (2025) · South Korea: 81% (2025)
How many phones per person?
South Korea has 173 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, France 117.
France: 117 (2023) · South Korea: 173 (2024)
How much railway is there?
France’s railway network is 6.4 times as long as South Korea’s.
France: 27,716 km (2021) · South Korea: 4,309 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from South Korea fly 57% more passengers per resident than those from France.
France: 0.94 (2023) · 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 32% of France.
France: 32.5% (2023) · South Korea: 64.1% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in South Korea emits 2.8 times as much CO₂ as someone in France.
France: 4 t (2024) · South Korea: 11.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
26% of France’s electricity is renewable, versus 10% in South Korea.
France: 26.1% (2025) · South Korea: 10.4% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in South Korea carries 2.4 times as much fine dust as in France.
France: 8.9 µg/m³ (2024) · South Korea: 21 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 2.8 times as likely to be murdered in France as in South Korea.
France: 1.3 per 100k (2024) · South Korea: 0.5 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Korea are 47% deadlier than in France.
France: 4.7 per 100k (2021) · South Korea: 6.9 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
France is on average 1.0 °C warmer than South Korea.
France: 14.1°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 13.2°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
South Korea gets 9% more rain than France.
France: 1,158 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 1,265 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is France bigger than South Korea?
France is larger. South Korea fits inside France 6 times.
Which has more people, France or South Korea?
France has 33% more people than South Korea (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, France or South Korea?
People in South Korea live 0.65 years longer than in France. Life expectancy at birth is 83.0 years in France and 83.6 in South Korea.
Are people taller in France or South Korea?
Men in France are 3.1 cm taller than in South Korea (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
