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South Korea vs United Kingdom
Side-by-side comparison of South Korea and United Kingdom from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
South Korea
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 2,082 years
United Kingdom
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,099 years
In short
South Korea scores 84.5 in the NationsTree Index (1st in the world) and United Kingdom scores 74.6 (22nd), a gap of 10.0 points. Their trees are 40 m and 44 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
United Kingdom has 34% more people than South Korea. United Kingdom is 2.4 times larger than South Korea by land area. The economy of United Kingdom is 38% larger than that of South Korea (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: South Korea 51.7 million and United Kingdom 69.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $64,606 in United Kingdom and $63,125 in South Korea (2025, international dollars). People in South Korea live on average 2.2 years longer (83.6 vs 81.4 years).
Of 38 indicators reported by both countries, South Korea ranks higher in the world on 20 and United Kingdom on 18. South Korea is clearly stronger in main industries, economy and military. United Kingdom is clearly stronger in tourism and natural resources.
As a nation, South Korea is the older of the two (statehood since 57 BC, 2,082 years), compared with United Kingdom (since 927). Over the last five years South Korea improved faster (direction score 75 vs 15 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between South Korea and United Kingdom.
South Koreabetter
47.8%
21st of 55
United Kingdom
130.7%
54th of 55
Hospital bedsSociety & health
South Koreabetter
12.8
1st of 145
United Kingdom
2.4
75th of 145
Air pollution (PM2.5)Environment & energy
South Korea
21.9
128th of 200
United Kingdombetter
9.5
43rd of 200
General government gross debtEconomy
South Koreabetter
52.4%
91st of 189
United Kingdom
102.1%
171st of 189
Secondary enrolmentSociety & health
South Korea
96.3%
76th of 173
United Kingdombetter
112.1%
23rd of 173
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
South Korea overtook United Kingdom in the NationsTree Index in 2020 and has stayed ahead since.
South Korea overtook United Kingdom in life expectancy in 2013 and has stayed ahead since.
United Kingdom has been ahead of South Korea in GDP per person (PPP), GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
South KoreaUnited Kingdom All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | South Korea | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 100,460109th/216 · 2024 | 243,61079th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 97,600106th/216 · 2024 | 241,93079th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 51.7 m29th/217 · 2025 | 69.5 m22nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.13%182nd/217 · 2025 | 0.30%154th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 530.223rd/216 · 2024 | 286.444th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 81.2%54th/217 · 2025 | 83.3%50th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 10.2%217th/217 · 2025 | 17.0%155th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 20.3%36th/217 · 2025 | 19.7%39th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $1.87 trn13th/210 · 2025 | $4.00 trn5th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $3.26 trn14th/199 · 2025 | $4.49 trn9th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $2.88 trn14th/199 · 2025 | $3.75 trn10th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $36,22747th/210 · 2025 | $57,60227th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $63,12535th/199 · 2025 | $64,60632nd/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $37,88036th/201 · 2025 | $54,55025th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 1.0%174th/210 · 2025 | 1.4%162nd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.1%62nd/180 · 2025 | 3.9%118th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 2.7%29th/187 · 2025 | 4.7%80th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 47.8%21st/55 · 2024 | 130.7%54th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 52.4%91st/189 · 2025 | 102.1%171st/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -2.3%86th/192 · 2025 | -5.3%154th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.5%160th/197 · 2025 | 0.6%179th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 34.3%36th/200 · 2025 | 16.5%152nd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 27.4%7th/192 · 2025 | 7.7%128th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 57.2%104th/200 · 2025 | 73.1%21st/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $856.86 bn11th/182 · 2025 | $1.22 trn4th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $760.16 bn12th/182 · 2025 | $1.28 trn4th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 45.8%62nd/183 · 2025 | 30.6%111th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 40.6%101st/183 · 2025 | 31.9%126th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 86.4%85th/183 · 2025 | 62.5%124th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 6.7%64th/170 · 2025 | 7.2%63rd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 88.0%8th/171 · 2025 | 59.7%55th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 1.7%157th/171 · 2025 | 6.7%131st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.6%94th/171 · 2025 | 5.7%59th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 36.3%13th/168 · 2024 | 29.2%17th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 6.5%29th/191 · 2025 | -3.0%116th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.8%148th/196 · 2025 | 0.9%147th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%162nd/209 · 2021 | 0.6%127th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.03%93rd/197 · 2021 | 0.42%56th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.01%88th/197 · 2021 | 0.17%55th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%59th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%60th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%89th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%90th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.01%146th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 13.3%79th/206 · 2024 | 25.3%39th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 1,255120th/183 · 2022 | 2,144103rd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 2.5 m58th/194 · 2020 | 11.1 m22nd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $11.78 bn14th/175 · 2020 | $31.66 bn1998 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 1.9%129th/168 · 2020 | 8.2%1998 |
| Outbound trips departures | 4.3 m30th/107 · 2020 | 23.8 m8th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 83.614th/217 · 2024 | 81.442nd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 2.817th/196 · 2024 | 4.736th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.6170th/174 · 2022 | 3.3053rd/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 12.81st/145 · 2022 | 2.475th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 92%86th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 90.0%49th/153 · 2024 | 99.8%3rd/153 · 2021 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 96.3%76th/173 · 2024 | 112.1%23rd/173 · 2023 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 29.3%41st/217 · 2025 | 31.1%38th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 8.7%50th/193 · 2024 | 11.1%16th/193 · 2024 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.0%2008 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 111.9%5th/150 · 2024 | 80.4%26th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.93720th/193 · 2023 | 0.94613th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 32.940th/108 · 2021 | 32.437th/108 · 2021 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.1%10th/108 · 2021 | 0.4%27th/108 · 2021 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 99.3%28th/150 · 2024 | 99.8%17th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 99.3%8th/144 · 2024 | 97.8%13th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 97.9%13th/186 · 2024 | 95.5%26th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 17318th/210 · 2024 | 12284th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 47.88th/208 · 2024 | 42.222nd/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 4.109th/164 · 2022 | 3.7024th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 4,30929th/82 · 2021 | 16,17913th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 76.3 m16th/161 · 2023 | 118.9 m7th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 11.36187th/203 · 2024 | 4.22139th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 3.6%171st/212 · 2021 | 12.2%131st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 21.9128th/200 · 2023 | 9.543rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 64.4%23rd/214 · 2024 | 13.5%149th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 5,56413th/149 · 2024 | 2,09555th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 83.119th/205 · 2025 | 77.628th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 66.740th/207 · 2025 | 78.918th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 78.329th/207 · 2025 | 79.526th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 81.749th/207 · 2025 | 70.792nd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 72.832nd/205 · 2025 | 80.614th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 73.849th/205 · 2025 | 81.319th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.510th/145 · 2023 | 1.147th/145 · 2021 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $47.77 bn13th/156 · 2025 | $88.98 bn6th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 2.6%38th/156 · 2025 | 2.4%45th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 10.8%26th/154 · 2025 | 5.4%73rd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 569,00011th/170 · 2020 | 153,00041st/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 2.01%26th/168 · 2020 | 0.45%121st/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 222.0 m36th/163 · 2025 | 609.0 m16th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 2.0 bn4th/65 · 2025 | 702.0 m9th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 4.94%3rd/110 · 2023 | 2.68%13th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 195,7864th/137 · 2024 | 11,1059th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 71,7249th/197 · 2023 | 97,5365th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, South Korea or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has the larger population: 69.5 m (2025) compared with 51.7 m for South Korea (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, South Korea or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom is larger: 243,610 km² (2024) compared with 100,460 km² for South Korea (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, South Korea or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $4.49 trn intl. (2025) compared with $3.26 trn intl. for South Korea (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, South Korea or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $64,606 intl. (2025) compared with $63,125 intl. for South Korea (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in South Korea or United Kingdom?
South Korea has the higher life expectancy at birth: 83.6 years (2024) compared with 81.4 years for United Kingdom (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, South Korea or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom spends more on the military: $88.98 bn (2025) compared with $47.77 bn for South Korea (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, South Korea or United Kingdom?
South Korea: 84.5 points (1st in the world); United Kingdom: 74.6 points (22nd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Indonesia
Italy
Mexico
IrelandSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). South Korea vs United Kingdom — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/south-korea-vs-united-kingdom. Data as of 26 October 2026.