Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
South Korea is 9% bigger than Portugal.
Portugal: 92,230 km² (2023) · South Korea: 100,450 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
South Korea’s coastline is 35% longer than Portugal’s.
Portugal: 1,793 km (2026 edition) · South Korea: 2,413 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Portugal’s highest peak towers 401 m above South Korea’s.
Portugal: 2,351 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 4.8 times as many people as Portugal.
Portugal: 10.8 million (2025) · South Korea: 51.7 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
South Korea is 4.5 times as densely populated as Portugal.
Portugal: 118 per km² (2025) · South Korea: 530 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in South Korea are 1.2 cm taller than in Portugal.
Portugal: 174.4 cm (2019) · South Korea: 175.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in South Korea are 2.0 cm taller than in Portugal.
Portugal: 161.2 cm (2019) · South Korea: 163.2 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Portugal is 1.7 years older than in South Korea.
Portugal: 46.2 years (2023) · South Korea: 44.5 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Portugal have 0.7 more children on average than in South Korea.
Portugal: 1.41 children per woman (2024) · South Korea: 0.75 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
25% of people in Portugal are 65 or older, versus 20% in South Korea.
Portugal: 24.9% (2025) · South Korea: 20.3% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Portugal has produced 1.9 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, South Korea 0.6.
Portugal: 1.9 (2025) · South Korea: 0.6 (2025)
How many official languages?
Portugal and South Korea are practically level.
Portugal: 1 (2026) · South Korea: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
South Korea’s economy is 5.4 times the size of Portugal’s.
Portugal: $347 billion (2025) · South Korea: $1.87 trillion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
South Korea produces 19% more per person than Portugal.
Portugal: Int$53,146 (2025) · South Korea: Int$63,125 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Portugal than in South Korea (Gini 1 points higher).
Portugal: 33.9 (2023) · South Korea: 32.9 (2021)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 6.2% in Portugal, versus 2.7% in South Korea.
Portugal: 6.2% (2025) · South Korea: 2.7% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
South Korea spends 2.6% of its GDP on the military, Portugal 1.5%.
Portugal: 1.5% (2024) · South Korea: 2.6% (2024)
How expensive is it?
Portugal’s price level (US = 100) is 1.1× South Korea’s.
Portugal: 60% (2025) · South Korea: 57% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
South Korea spends 6% more on health per person than Portugal.
Portugal: $2,971 (2024) · South Korea: $3,137 (2024)
How long do people live?
People in South Korea live 1.2 years longer than in Portugal.
Portugal: 82.4 years (2024) · South Korea: 83.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Portugal is 17% more likely to die before turning one than in South Korea.
Portugal: 2.7 per 1,000 (2024) · South Korea: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
Portugal has 2.2 times as many doctors per person as South Korea.
Portugal: 5.9 per 1,000 (2022) · South Korea: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
23% of adults in Portugal are obese, versus 7.5% in South Korea.
Portugal: 23% (2024) · South Korea: 7.5% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
29% of adults in Portugal smoke, versus 19% in South Korea.
Portugal: 28.6% (2024) · South Korea: 18.6% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
South Korea and Portugal are practically level.
Portugal: 6.03 (2025) · South Korea: 6.04 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Portugal drink 66% more alcohol than in South Korea.
Portugal: 13.7 litres (2023) · South Korea: 8.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Portugal has 18% more meat per person than South Korea.
Portugal: 99.3 kg (2023) · South Korea: 84 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Portugal has 123 kcal more food per person per day than South Korea.
Portugal: 3,553 kcal (2023) · South Korea: 3,430 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in South Korea put in 175 more hours a year than in Portugal.
Portugal: 1,735 hours (2023) · South Korea: 1,910 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in South Korea went to school 3 years longer than in Portugal.
Portugal: 9.7 years (2023) · South Korea: 12.7 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Portugal welcomed 8.6 times as many tourists per resident as South Korea (2019).
Portugal: 2.71 (2024) · South Korea: 0.32 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
98% of people in South Korea are online, versus 88% in Portugal.
Portugal: 88% (2024) · South Korea: 98% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Portugal and South Korea are practically level.
Portugal: 100% (2024) · South Korea: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
81% of people in South Korea live in cities, versus 61% in Portugal.
Portugal: 61% (2025) · South Korea: 81% (2025)
How many phones per person?
South Korea has 173 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Portugal 124.
Portugal: 124 (2024) · South Korea: 173 (2024)
How much railway is there?
South Korea’s railway network is 70% longer than Portugal’s.
Portugal: 2,527 km (2021) · South Korea: 4,309 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Portugal fly 15% more passengers per resident than those from South Korea.
Portugal: 1.69 (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 36% of Portugal.
Portugal: 36.2% (2023) · South Korea: 64.1% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in South Korea emits 3.3 times as much CO₂ as someone in Portugal.
Portugal: 3.4 t (2024) · South Korea: 11.3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
81% of Portugal’s electricity is renewable, versus 10% in South Korea.
Portugal: 81% (2025) · South Korea: 10.4% (2025)
How clean is the air?
The air in South Korea carries 2 times as much fine dust as in Portugal.
Portugal: 10.5 µg/m³ (2024) · South Korea: 21 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 51% more likely to be murdered in Portugal than in South Korea.
Portugal: 0.7 per 100k (2022) · South Korea: 0.5 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Portugal are 4% deadlier than in South Korea.
Portugal: 7.2 per 100k (2021) · South Korea: 6.9 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Portugal is on average 2.7 °C warmer than South Korea.
Portugal: 15.9°C (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 13.2°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
South Korea gets 63% more rain than Portugal.
Portugal: 777 mm (2016–2025 avg) · South Korea: 1,265 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Portugal bigger than South Korea?
South Korea is larger. South Korea is 9% bigger than Portugal.
Which has more people, Portugal or South Korea?
South Korea has 4.8 times as many people as Portugal (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Portugal or South Korea?
People in South Korea live 1.2 years longer than in Portugal. Life expectancy at birth is 82.4 years in Portugal and 83.6 in South Korea.
Are people taller in Portugal or South Korea?
Men in South Korea are 1.2 cm taller than in Portugal (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
