Page last updated on February 5, 2013
Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective:
Korean
Ethnic groups:
homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)
Languages:
Korean, English (widely taught in junior high and high school)
Religions:
Christian 31.6% (Protestant 24%, Roman Catholic 7.6%), Buddhist 24.2%, other or unknown 0.9%, none 43.3% (2010 survey)
Population:
48,860,500 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
[see also: Population country ranks ]
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.1% (male 3,844,033/female 3,533,963)
[see also: Age structure 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-24 years:
13.6% (male 3,517,504/female 3,104,269)
25-54 years:
48.3% (male 12,013,733/female 11,593,217)
55-64 years:
11.2% (male 2,697,406/female 2,765,709)
65 years and over:
11.9% (male 2,365,749/female 3,424,917) (2012 est.)
Median age:
total: 39 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male:
37.6 years
female:
40.4 years (2012 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.204% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]
Birth rate:
8.42 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]
Death rate:
6.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]
Urbanization:
urban population: 83% of total population (2010)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization:
0.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Major cities - population:
SEOUL (capital) 9.778 million; Busan (Pusan) 3.439 million; Incheon (Inch'on) 2.572 million; Daegu (Taegu) 2.458 million; Daejon (Taejon) 1.497 million (2009)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
under 15 years:
1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.69 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Maternal mortality rate:
16 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 143
[see also: Maternal mortality rate country ranks ]
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.08 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 198
male:
4.29 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
3.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.3 years
country comparison to the world: 41
male:
76.12 years
female:
82.7 years (2012 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.23 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 219
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]
Health expenditures:
6.5% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 90
[see also: Health expenditures country ranks ]
Physicians density:
1.967 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
[see also: Physicians density country ranks ]
Hospital bed density:
12.28 beds/1,000 population (2008)
[see also: Hospital bed density country ranks ]
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
