World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The median country is 11% bigger than South Korea.
South Korea: 100,450 km² (2023) · World median: 111,370 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
South Korea’s coastline is 5.5 times as long as the median country’s.
South Korea: 2,413 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
The median country’s highest peak towers 385 m above South Korea’s.
South Korea: 1,950 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
South Korea has 7 times as many people as the median country.
South Korea: 51.7 million (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
South Korea is 5.4 times as densely populated as the median country.
South Korea: 530 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in South Korea are 2.0 cm taller than in the median country.
South Korea: 175.5 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in South Korea are 2.7 cm taller than in the median country.
South Korea: 163.2 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in South Korea is 13 years older than in the median country.
South Korea: 44.5 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in the median country have 1.2 more children on average than in South Korea.
South Korea: 0.75 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
20% of people in South Korea are 65 or older, versus 8.6% in the median country.
South Korea: 20.3% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
South Korea has produced 0.6 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the median country 0.0.
South Korea: 0.6 (2025) · World median: 0 (2025)
How many official languages?
South Korea and the median country are practically level.
South Korea: 1 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
South Korea’s economy is 41 times the size of the median country’s.
South Korea: $1.87 trillion (2025) · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
South Korea produces 3 times as much per person as the median country.
South Korea: Int$63,125 (2025) · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in the median country than in South Korea (Gini 1.5 points higher).
South Korea: 32.9 (2021) · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.1% in the median country, versus 2.7% in South Korea.
South Korea: 2.7% (2025) · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
South Korea spends 2.6% of its GDP on the military, the median country 1.7%.
South Korea: 2.6% (2024) · World median: 1.7% (2024)
How expensive is it?
South Korea’s price level (US = 100) is 1.3× the median country’s.
South Korea: 57% (2025) · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
South Korea spends 6.7 times as much on health per person as the median country.
South Korea: $3,137 (2024) · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in South Korea live 9 years longer than in the median country.
South Korea: 83.6 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the median country is 5.5 times as likely to die before turning one as in South Korea.
South Korea: 2.3 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
South Korea has 56% more doctors per person than the median country.
South Korea: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
24% of adults in the median country are obese, versus 7.5% in South Korea.
South Korea: 7.5% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
The median country and South Korea are practically level.
South Korea: 18.6% (2024) · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in South Korea rate their lives 0.21 points higher than in the median country.
South Korea: 6.04 (2025) · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in South Korea drink 90% more alcohol than in the median country.
South Korea: 8.3 litres (2023) · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
South Korea has 49% more meat per person than the median country.
South Korea: 84 kg (2023) · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
South Korea has 493 kcal more food per person per day than the median country.
South Korea: 3,430 kcal (2023) · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in the median country put in 64 more hours a year than in South Korea.
South Korea: 1,910 hours (2023) · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in South Korea went to school 2.8 years longer than in the median country.
South Korea: 12.7 years (2023) · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
The median country welcomed 9% more tourists per resident than South Korea (2019).
South Korea: 0.32 (2024) · World median: 0.34 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
98% of people in South Korea are online, versus 82% in the median country.
South Korea: 98% (2024) · World median: 82% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
South Korea and the median country are practically level.
South Korea: 100% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
81% of people in South Korea live in cities, versus 64% in the median country.
South Korea: 81% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
South Korea has 173 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the median country 115.
South Korea: 173 (2024) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
South Korea’s railway network is 2 times as long as the median country’s.
South Korea: 4,309 km (2021) · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from South Korea fly 6.2 times as many passengers per resident as those from the median country.
South Korea: 1.48 (2023) · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 64% of South Korea, but only 31% of the median country.
South Korea: 64.1% (2023) · World median: 31.2% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in South Korea emits 3.8 times as much CO₂ as someone in the median country.
South Korea: 11.3 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
31% of the median country’s electricity is renewable, versus 10% in South Korea.
South Korea: 10.4% (2025) · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in South Korea carries 27% more fine dust than in the median country.
South Korea: 21 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
You are 4.7 times as likely to be murdered in the median country as in South Korea.
South Korea: 0.5 per 100k (2023) · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the median country are 78% deadlier than in South Korea.
South Korea: 6.9 per 100k (2021) · World median: 12.3 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
The median country is on average 9.8 °C warmer than South Korea.
South Korea: 13.2°C (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
South Korea gets 25% more rain than the median country.
South Korea: 1,265 mm (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is South Korea bigger than the median country?
The median country is larger. The median country is 11% bigger than South Korea.
Which has more people, South Korea or the median country?
South Korea has 7 times as many people as the median country (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, South Korea or the median country?
People in South Korea live 9 years longer than in the median country. Life expectancy at birth is 83.6 years in South Korea and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in South Korea or the median country?
Men in South Korea are 2.0 cm taller than in the median country (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
