Bangladesh vs South Korea
Bangladesh vs South Korea: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 6 years in Bangladesh and 11.7 years in South Korea, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Korea, by 5.7 years, or 1.95 times that in Bangladesh.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2017.
- In 2020, Bangladesh ranked 132 and South Korea ranked 7 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Bangladesh | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 6 | 11.7 |
| 2018 | 6 | 12.3 |
| 2017 | 6.5 | 12.2 |
| 2010 | – | 12.3 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The years of school a child can expect by 18, cut to what students actually learn: the World Bank’s learning-adjusted years of school.
- Source: World Bank Human Capital Index, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 174 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Bangladesh vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyBangladesh: 74.7 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityBangladesh: 3.1 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityBangladesh: 22.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterBangladesh: 59.1% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionBangladesh: 4.11% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateBangladesh: 6 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationBangladesh: 172 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthBangladesh: 1.21% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateBangladesh: 2.16 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationBangladesh: 33.2% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageBangladesh: 25.3 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overBangladesh: 6.3% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateBangladesh: -3.2 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingBangladesh: 0.81% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsBangladesh: $3.67B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personBangladesh: $22 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingBangladesh: 7.1% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelBangladesh: 227,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerBangladesh: 1.01% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersBangladesh: 0.32% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsBangladesh: 32 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsBangladesh: 2 million TIV in 1984South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025