Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
South Korea fits inside Italy 3 times.
Italy: 302,070 km² (2023) · South Korea: 100,450 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Italy’s coastline is 3.1 times as long as South Korea’s.
Italy: 7,600 km (2026 edition) · South Korea: 2,413 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Italy’s highest peak towers 2,798 m above South Korea’s.
Italy: 4,748 m (2026 edition) · South Korea: 1,950 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Italy has 14% more people than South Korea.
Italy: 58.9 million (2025) · South Korea: 51.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
South Korea is 2.7 times as densely populated as Italy.
Italy: 199 per km² (2025) · South Korea: 530 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in South Korea are 1.1 cm taller than in Italy.
Italy: 174.4 cm (2019) · South Korea: 175.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in South Korea are 1.4 cm taller than in Italy.
Italy: 161.8 cm (2019) · South Korea: 163.2 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Italy is 3 years older than in South Korea.
Italy: 47.5 years (2023) · South Korea: 44.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Italy have 0.4 more children on average than in South Korea.
Italy: 1.18 children per woman (2024) · South Korea: 0.75 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
25% of people in Italy are 65 or older, versus 20% in South Korea.
Italy: 25.1% (2025) · South Korea: 20.3% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Italy has produced 3.4 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, South Korea 0.6.
Italy: 3.4 (2025) · South Korea: 0.6 (2025)
How many official languages?
Italy and South Korea are practically level.
Italy: 1 (2026) · South Korea: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Italy’s economy is 36% larger than South Korea’s.
Italy: $2.55 trillion (2025) · South Korea: $1.87 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
South Korea and Italy are nearly identical here.
Italy: Int$62,803 (2025) · South Korea: Int$63,125 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Italy than in South Korea (Gini 1.4 points higher).
Italy: 34.3 (2023) · South Korea: 32.9 (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 6.4% in Italy, versus 2.7% in South Korea.
Italy: 6.4% (2025) · South Korea: 2.7% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
South Korea spends 2.6% of its GDP on the military, Italy 1.6%.
Italy: 1.6% (2024) · South Korea: 2.6% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Italy’s price level (US = 100) is 1.2× South Korea’s.
Italy: 69% (2025) · South Korea: 57% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
Italy spends 8% more on health per person than South Korea.
Italy: $3,398 (2024) · South Korea: $3,137 (2024)
How long do people live?
Italy and South Korea are practically level.
Italy: 84 years (2024) · South Korea: 83.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
Italy and South Korea are nearly identical here.
Italy: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024) · South Korea: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Italy has 61% more doctors per person than South Korea.
Italy: 4.2 per 1,000 (2022) · South Korea: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
18% of adults in Italy are obese, versus 7.5% in South Korea.
Italy: 17.9% (2024) · South Korea: 7.5% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
22% of adults in Italy smoke, versus 19% in South Korea.
Italy: 22.4% (2024) · South Korea: 18.6% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Italy rate their lives 0.53 points higher than in South Korea.
Italy: 6.57 (2025) · South Korea: 6.04 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Italy drink 2% more alcohol than in South Korea.
Italy: 8.4 litres (2023) · South Korea: 8.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
South Korea has 18% more meat per person than Italy.
Italy: 71.2 kg (2023) · South Korea: 84 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Italy has 322 kcal more food per person per day than South Korea.
Italy: 3,753 kcal (2023) · South Korea: 3,430 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in South Korea put in 209 more hours a year than in Italy.
Italy: 1,701 hours (2023) · South Korea: 1,910 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in South Korea went to school 1.9 years longer than in Italy.
Italy: 10.8 years (2023) · South Korea: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Italy welcomed 3.1 times as many tourists per resident as South Korea (2019).
Italy: 0.98 (2024) · 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 Italy.
Italy: 89% (2024) · South Korea: 98% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Italy and South Korea are practically level.
Italy: 100% (2024) · South Korea: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
81% of people in South Korea live in cities, versus 70% in Italy.
Italy: 70% (2025) · South Korea: 81% (2025)
How many phones per person?
South Korea has 173 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Italy 133.
Italy: 133 (2024) · South Korea: 173 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Italy’s railway network is 4 times as long as South Korea’s.
Italy: 17,305 km (2021) · South Korea: 4,309 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from South Korea fly 4.3 times as many passengers per resident as those from Italy.
Italy: 0.34 (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 33% of Italy.
Italy: 32.9% (2023) · South Korea: 64.1% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in South Korea emits 2.2 times as much CO₂ as someone in Italy.
Italy: 5.1 t (2024) · South Korea: 11.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
49% of Italy’s electricity is renewable, versus 10% in South Korea.
Italy: 48.8% (2025) · South Korea: 10.4% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in South Korea carries 38% more fine dust than in Italy.
Italy: 15.2 µg/m³ (2024) · South Korea: 21 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 19% more likely to be murdered in Italy than in South Korea.
Italy: 0.6 per 100k (2023) · South Korea: 0.5 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in South Korea are 38% deadlier than in Italy.
Italy: 5 per 100k (2021) · South Korea: 6.9 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Italy is on average 0.7 °C warmer than South Korea.
Italy: 13.9°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 13.2°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
South Korea gets 23% more rain than Italy.
Italy: 1,030 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 1,265 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Italy bigger than South Korea?
Italy is larger. South Korea fits inside Italy 3 times.
Which has more people, Italy or South Korea?
Italy has 14% more people than South Korea (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Italy or South Korea?
Italy and South Korea are practically level. Life expectancy at birth is 84.0 years in Italy and 83.6 in South Korea.
Are people taller in Italy or South Korea?
Men in South Korea are 1.1 cm taller than in Italy (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
