Iran vs South Korea
Iran vs South Korea: Government debt
Government debt in 2024: 31.2% of GDP in Iran and 49.6% of GDP in South Korea, by IMF estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in South Korea, by 18.3 percentage points, or 1.59 times that in Iran.
% of GDP · IMF
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 2021, when it overtook Iran.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Iran at 43.4% of GDP and South Korea at 49.7% of GDP in 2031.
Every year
% of GDP · IMF
| Year | Iran | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 31.2 | 49.6 |
| 2023 | 29.6 | 50.6 |
| 2022 | 34.5 | 49.7 |
| 2021 | 39.9 | 48 |
| 2020 | 47.1 | 45.9 |
| 2019 | 44.6 | 39.7 |
| 2018 | 41.6 | 37.9 |
| 2017 | 43.2 | 38 |
| 2016 | 46 | 39.1 |
| 2015 | 32.1 | 38.8 |
| 2014 | 10.9 | 37.9 |
| 2013 | 10.2 | 36 |
| 2012 | 11.8 | 33.5 |
| 2011 | 10.6 | – |
| 2010 | 12.8 | – |
| 2009 | 11.5 | – |
| 2008 | 10.6 | – |
| 2007 | 13.5 | – |
| 2006 | 15.2 | – |
| 2005 | 18.3 | – |
| 2004 | 21.1 | – |
| 2003 | 22 | – |
| 2002 | 23.4 | – |
| 2001 | 21 | – |
| 2000 | 18.2 | – |
| 1999 | 22.2 | – |
| 1998 | 29.6 | – |
| 1997 | 30.9 | – |
| 1996 | 29.3 | – |
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2025–2031
| Year | Iran | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35.6 | 52.4 |
| 2026 | 39.1 | 47.3 |
| 2027 | 40.2 | 46.2 |
| 2028 | 40.8 | 47 |
| 2029 | 41.7 | 48.2 |
| 2030 | 42.7 | 49.2 |
| 2031 | 43.4 | 49.7 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the government owes, as a share of the economy’s yearly output.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Iran vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyIran: 77.7 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIran: 1.1 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIran: 9.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterIran: 94.2% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionIran: 5.12% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateIran: 5.4 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIran: 90.6 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthIran: 1.12% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIran: 1.7 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIran: 77.4% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageIran: 32.9 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIran: 7.9% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateIran: 2.9 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIran: 2.09% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsIran: $7.45B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personIran: $80 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIran: 11.2% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIran: 650,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerIran: 1.64% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIran: 2.35% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIran: 42 million TIV in 2024South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIran: 80 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025