Iran vs South Korea
Iran vs South Korea: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 8.2 years in Iran and 11.7 years in South Korea, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Korea, by 3.5 years, or 1.43 times that in Iran.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2010.
- In 2020, Iran ranked 83 and South Korea ranked 7 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Iran | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 8.2 | 11.7 |
| 2018 | 8.2 | 12.3 |
| 2017 | 8.1 | 12.2 |
| 2010 | 8 | 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
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