China vs South Korea

China vs South Korea: Population

Population in 2023: 1.42 billion people in China and 51.8 million people in South Korea, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in China, by 1.37 billion people, or 27 times that in South Korea.

Watch it change on the map

people · UN

China vs South Korea: PopulationPopulation in 2023: 1.42 billion people in China and 51.8 million people in South Korea, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in China, by 1.37 billion people, or 27 times that in South Korea.
ChinaSouth KoreaEstimates, HYDE and GapminderUN projection (medium variant)95% prediction intervalWorld

What the numbers say

  • China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
  • In 2023, China ranked 2 and South Korea ranked 29 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
  • The UN projection (medium variant) puts China at 633 million people and South Korea at 21.9 million people in 2100.
  • The world as a whole: 8.09 billion people in 2023.

Every year

people · UN

YearChinaSouth KoreaWorld
20231.42 billion51.8 million8.09 billion
20221.43 billion51.8 million8.02 billion
20211.43 billion51.9 million7.95 billion
20201.43 billion51.9 million7.89 billion
20191.42 billion51.8 million7.81 billion
20181.42 billion51.6 million7.73 billion
20171.41 billion51.5 million7.65 billion
20161.4 billion51.3 million7.56 billion
20151.4 billion51 million7.47 billion
20141.39 billion50.5 million7.38 billion
20131.38 billion50.1 million7.29 billion
20121.37 billion49.6 million7.2 billion
20111.36 billion49.1 million7.11 billion
20101.35 billion48.8 million7.02 billion
20091.34 billion48.6 million6.93 billion
20081.33 billion48.4 million6.84 billion
20071.33 billion48.2 million6.76 billion
20061.32 billion48 million6.67 billion
20051.31 billion47.9 million6.59 billion
20041.3 billion47.7 million6.5 billion
20031.3 billion47.5 million6.42 billion
20021.29 billion47.3 million6.34 billion
20011.28 billion47 million6.26 billion
20001.27 billion46.8 million6.17 billion
19991.26 billion46.5 million6.09 billion
19981.25 billion46.2 million6.01 billion
19971.24 billion45.9 million5.93 billion
19961.23 billion45.6 million5.84 billion
19951.22 billion45.4 million5.76 billion
19941.21 billion45.1 million5.68 billion
19931.2 billion44.9 million5.59 billion
19921.19 billion44.7 million5.51 billion
19911.17 billion44.4 million5.42 billion
19901.15 billion44.1 million5.33 billion
19891.13 billion43.5 million5.23 billion
19881.12 billion42.9 million5.14 billion
19871.1 billion42.3 million5.05 billion
19861.08 billion41.7 million4.96 billion
19851.06 billion41.2 million4.87 billion
19841.04 billion40.6 million4.78 billion
19831.03 billion40 million4.7 billion
19821.01 billion39.4 million4.61 billion
1981998 million38.7 million4.53 billion
1980983 million38.1 million4.45 billion
1979969 million37.7 million4.37 billion
1978956 million37.3 million4.29 billion
1977944 million36.8 million4.22 billion
1976930 million36.4 million4.14 billion
1975916 million35.9 million4.07 billion
1974900 million35.3 million4 billion
1973883 million34.6 million3.92 billion
1972864 million33.9 million3.85 billion
1971844 million33.2 million3.77 billion
1970823 million32.5 million3.7 billion
1969802 million31.9 million3.62 billion
1968781 million31.2 million3.55 billion
1967761 million30.5 million3.47 billion
1966742 million29.9 million3.4 billion
1965723 million29.3 million3.34 billion
1964705 million28.7 million3.26 billion
1963685 million28.2 million3.19 billion
1962665 million27.5 million3.12 billion
1961656 million26.9 million3.07 billion
1960655 million26.1 million3.02 billion
1959653 million25.3 million2.97 billion
1958644 million24.5 million2.91 billion
1957630 million23.7 million2.85 billion
1956617 million22.9 million2.8 billion
1955604 million22.1 million2.74 billion
1954590 million21.4 million2.69 billion
1953578 million20.8 million2.63 billion
1952565 million20.2 million2.58 billion
1951554 million19.9 million2.54 billion
1950544 million19.8 million2.49 billion
1949538 million19.6 million–
1948534 million19.1 million–
1947531 million18.6 million–
1946528 million18 million–
1945525 million17.5 million–
1944522 million17 million–
1943520 million16.6 million–
1942517 million16.1 million–
1941514 million15.7 million–
1940511 million15.3 million–
1939508 million15.1 million–
1938506 million14.8 million–
1937503 million14.7 million–
1936500 million14.5 million–
1935497 million14.3 million–
1934494 million14.1 million–
1933491 million14 million–
1932488 million13.8 million–
1931485 million13.6 million–
1930483 million13.5 million–
1929481 million13.3 million–
1928479 million13.1 million–
1927477 million12.9 million–
1926475 million12.6 million–
1925474 million12.4 million–
1924472 million12.2 million–
1923470 million12 million–
1922469 million11.8 million–
1921466 million11.7 million–
1920463 million11.5 million–
1919460 million11.3 million–
1918455 million11.1 million–
1917450 million10.9 million–
1916446 million10.8 million–
1915441 million10.6 million–
1914436 million10.5 million–
1913431 million10.3 million–
1912427 million10.1 million–
1911423 million10 million–
1910419 million9.91 million–
1909416 million9.84 million–
1908413 million9.8 million–
1907411 million9.78 million–
1906409 million9.77 million–
1905407 million9.75 million–
1904404 million9.74 million–
1903402 million9.72 million–
1902400 million9.71 million–
1901398 million9.7 million–
1900396 million9.69 million–
1899394 million9.68 million–
1898392 million9.68 million–
1897390 million9.68 million–
1896388 million9.68 million–
1895386 million9.68 million–
1894384 million9.68 million–
1893382 million9.68 million–
1892381 million9.68 million–
1891379 million9.68 million–
1890377 million9.68 million–
1889376 million9.68 million–
1888375 million9.67 million–
1887373 million9.67 million–
1886372 million9.67 million–
1885371 million9.67 million–
1884370 million9.67 million–
1883369 million9.67 million–
1882368 million9.67 million–
1881367 million9.67 million–
1880366 million9.67 million–
1879365 million9.67 million–
1878364 million9.67 million–
1877363 million9.67 million–
1876362 million9.67 million–
1875361 million9.67 million–
1874360 million9.67 million–
1873359 million9.67 million–
1872358 million9.67 million–
1871358 million9.67 million–
1870358 million9.66 million–
1869359 million9.66 million–
1868360 million9.66 million–
1867362 million9.65 million–
1866364 million9.64 million–
1865366 million9.64 million–
1864368 million9.63 million–
1863370 million9.62 million–
1862372 million9.62 million–
1861375 million9.61 million–
1860377 million9.61 million–
1859380 million9.6 million–
1858383 million9.59 million–
1857387 million9.59 million–
1856390 million9.58 million–
1855394 million9.58 million–
1854397 million9.57 million–
1853401 million9.56 million–
1852405 million9.56 million–
1851408 million9.55 million–
1850410 million9.55 million–
1849411 million9.54 million–
1848412 million9.54 million–
1847412 million9.53 million–
1846412 million9.53 million–
1845412 million9.52 million–
1844412 million9.52 million–
1843412 million9.51 million–
1842412 million9.51 million–
1841412 million9.5 million–
1840412 million9.5 million–
1839412 million9.49 million–
1838411 million9.49 million–
1837411 million9.48 million–
1836411 million9.48 million–
1835411 million9.47 million–
1834410 million9.47 million–
1833410 million9.46 million–
1832410 million9.46 million–
1831409 million9.45 million–
1830407 million9.45 million–
1829406 million9.44 million–
1828403 million9.44 million–
1827400 million9.43 million–
1826398 million9.43 million–
1825395 million9.42 million–
1824392 million9.42 million–
1823389 million9.41 million–
1822387 million9.41 million–
1821384 million9.4 million–
1820380 million9.4 million–
1819377 million9.4 million–
1818374 million9.4 million–
1817370 million9.4 million–
1816367 million9.4 million–
1815363 million9.4 million–
1814360 million9.4 million–
1813356 million9.4 million–
1812353 million9.4 million–
1811350 million9.4 million–
1810347 million9.4 million–
1809344 million9.4 million–
1808343 million9.4 million–
1807341 million9.4 million–
1806339 million9.4 million–
1805338 million9.4 million–
1804336 million9.4 million–
1803335 million9.4 million–
1802333 million9.4 million–
1801332 million9.4 million–
1800330 million9.4 million–
  • 12.3Estimates, HYDE and Gapminder
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
YearChinaSouth KoreaWorld
20241.42 billion1.42 billion–1.42 billion51.7 million51.6 million–51.8 million8.16 billion
20251.42 billion1.41 billion–1.42 billion51.7 million51.4 million–51.9 million8.23 billion
20261.41 billion1.41 billion–1.42 billion51.6 million51.1 million–52.1 million8.3 billion
20271.41 billion1.4 billion–1.42 billion51.5 million50.8 million–52.3 million8.37 billion
20281.41 billion1.39 billion–1.42 billion51.4 million50.4 million–52.5 million8.44 billion
20291.4 billion1.39 billion–1.42 billion51.3 million50 million–52.7 million8.5 billion
20301.4 billion1.38 billion–1.42 billion51.2 million49.6 million–52.9 million8.57 billion
20311.39 billion1.37 billion–1.42 billion51.1 million49.1 million–53.1 million8.63 billion
20321.39 billion1.36 billion–1.41 billion50.9 million48.6 million–53.3 million8.7 billion
20331.38 billion1.35 billion–1.41 billion50.7 million48.1 million–53.4 million8.76 billion
20341.38 billion1.35 billion–1.41 billion50.5 million47.6 million–53.6 million8.82 billion
20351.37 billion1.34 billion–1.41 billion50.3 million47.1 million–53.8 million8.89 billion
20361.37 billion1.33 billion–1.41 billion50.1 million46.6 million–54 million8.95 billion
20371.36 billion1.32 billion–1.41 billion49.8 million46 million–54.2 million9.01 billion
20381.36 billion1.31 billion–1.4 billion49.5 million45.4 million–54.2 million9.06 billion
20391.35 billion1.3 billion–1.4 billion49.3 million44.7 million–54.4 million9.12 billion
20401.34 billion1.28 billion–1.4 billion49 million44.2 million–54.6 million9.18 billion
20411.34 billion1.27 billion–1.39 billion48.6 million43.6 million–54.7 million9.23 billion
20421.33 billion1.26 billion–1.39 billion48.3 million42.9 million–54.8 million9.29 billion
20431.32 billion1.25 billion–1.39 billion48 million42.2 million–54.9 million9.34 billion
20441.31 billion1.24 billion–1.38 billion47.6 million41.5 million–55 million9.39 billion
20451.31 billion1.23 billion–1.38 billion47.2 million40.8 million–55.1 million9.44 billion
20461.3 billion1.21 billion–1.38 billion46.9 million40.2 million–55.2 million9.49 billion
20471.29 billion1.2 billion–1.37 billion46.5 million39.5 million–55.2 million9.54 billion
20481.28 billion1.19 billion–1.37 billion46 million38.8 million–55.1 million9.58 billion
20491.27 billion1.17 billion–1.36 billion45.6 million38.2 million–54.9 million9.62 billion
20501.26 billion1.16 billion–1.35 billion45.1 million37.5 million–54.9 million9.66 billion
20511.25 billion1.14 billion–1.35 billion44.7 million36.7 million–54.9 million9.7 billion
20521.24 billion1.13 billion–1.34 billion44.2 million36 million–54.8 million9.74 billion
20531.23 billion1.11 billion–1.33 billion43.7 million35.2 million–54.6 million9.78 billion
20541.22 billion1.1 billion–1.32 billion43.2 million34.4 million–54.5 million9.81 billion
20551.2 billion1.08 billion–1.31 billion42.6 million33.6 million–54.5 million9.85 billion
20561.19 billion1.06 billion–1.3 billion42.1 million33 million–54.4 million9.88 billion
20571.18 billion1.05 billion–1.29 billion41.6 million32.2 million–54.3 million9.91 billion
20581.16 billion1.03 billion–1.29 billion41 million31.4 million–54.2 million9.94 billion
20591.15 billion1.01 billion–1.28 billion40.4 million30.6 million–54 million9.96 billion
20601.14 billion998 million–1.26 billion39.9 million29.8 million–53.8 million9.99 billion
20611.12 billion981 million–1.25 billion39.3 million29.1 million–53.6 million10 billion
20621.11 billion963 million–1.24 billion38.7 million28.3 million–53.6 million10 billion
20631.09 billion947 million–1.23 billion38.2 million27.6 million–53.5 million10.1 billion
20641.08 billion932 million–1.22 billion37.6 million26.8 million–53.3 million10.1 billion
20651.07 billion915 million–1.21 billion37.1 million26 million–53.1 million10.1 billion
20661.05 billion898 million–1.2 billion36.6 million25.3 million–52.9 million10.1 billion
20671.04 billion881 million–1.19 billion36 million24.7 million–53 million10.1 billion
20681.03 billion867 million–1.18 billion35.5 million24 million–53.1 million10.2 billion
20691.01 billion852 million–1.17 billion35 million23.3 million–53.1 million10.2 billion
2070999 million836 million–1.16 billion34.5 million22.6 million–53.1 million10.2 billion
2071986 million822 million–1.15 billion33.9 million22 million–53.1 million10.2 billion
2072973 million807 million–1.14 billion33.4 million21.4 million–53 million10.2 billion
2073960 million792 million–1.13 billion32.9 million20.8 million–52.9 million10.2 billion
2074947 million776 million–1.12 billion32.5 million20.3 million–52.8 million10.2 billion
2075935 million760 million–1.11 billion32 million19.8 million–52.8 million10.3 billion
2076922 million743 million–1.1 billion31.5 million19.2 million–52.7 million10.3 billion
2077909 million728 million–1.09 billion31 million18.6 million–52.6 million10.3 billion
2078896 million713 million–1.08 billion30.6 million18 million–52.6 million10.3 billion
2079883 million697 million–1.08 billion30.1 million17.4 million–52.8 million10.3 billion
2080870 million681 million–1.07 billion29.7 million16.9 million–52.9 million10.3 billion
2081857 million664 million–1.06 billion29.2 million16.5 million–52.8 million10.3 billion
2082844 million648 million–1.05 billion28.8 million15.9 million–52.8 million10.3 billion
2083832 million633 million–1.04 billion28.4 million15.5 million–53 million10.3 billion
2084819 million618 million–1.03 billion27.9 million15.2 million–52.9 million10.3 billion
2085806 million604 million–1.02 billion27.5 million14.7 million–52.8 million10.3 billion
2086794 million591 million–1.01 billion27.1 million14.3 million–52.6 million10.3 billion
2087781 million576 million–994 million26.7 million13.8 million–52.4 million10.3 billion
2088769 million562 million–984 million26.3 million13.4 million–52.4 million10.3 billion
2089757 million548 million–975 million25.9 million12.9 million–52.3 million10.3 billion
2090745 million534 million–967 million25.5 million12.5 million–52 million10.3 billion
2091733 million520 million–959 million25.1 million12.1 million–51.8 million10.3 billion
2092722 million507 million–951 million24.7 million11.8 million–51.6 million10.3 billion
2093710 million493 million–944 million24.3 million11.5 million–51.7 million10.3 billion
2094699 million480 million–937 million23.9 million11.1 million–52 million10.2 billion
2095688 million468 million–929 million23.5 million10.7 million–52.2 million10.2 billion
2096677 million455 million–920 million23.2 million10.4 million–52.1 million10.2 billion
2097666 million443 million–913 million22.8 million10.1 million–51.8 million10.2 billion
2098655 million431 million–906 million22.5 million9.82 million–51.7 million10.2 billion
2099644 million417 million–899 million22.2 million9.53 million–51.8 million10.2 billion
2100633 million404 million–890 million21.9 million9.29 million–52 million10.2 billion

Each country on its own

Good to know

  • Everyone living in the country on 1 July of each year.
  • Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
  • Before 1950: HYDE (2023), Gapminder (2022) and UN WPP (2024), via Our World in Data.
  • The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
  • Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
  • The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

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