Japan vs South Korea
Japan vs South Korea: Forest area
Forest area in 2024: 68.3% in Japan and 64.4% in South Korea, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Japan, by 4 percentage points, or 1.06 times that in South Korea.
% of land · FAO
What the numbers say
- Japan has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2024, Japan ranked 20 and South Korea ranked 23 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of land · FAO
| Year | Japan | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 68.3 | 64.4 | – |
| 2023 | 68.4 | 64.4 | 31.1 |
| 2022 | 68.4 | 64.5 | 31.1 |
| 2021 | 68.4 | 64.5 | 31.2 |
| 2020 | 68.4 | 64.5 | 31.2 |
| 2019 | 68.4 | 64.6 | 31.2 |
| 2018 | 68.4 | 64.7 | 31.3 |
| 2017 | 68.4 | 64.8 | 31.3 |
| 2016 | 68.4 | 64.9 | 31.3 |
| 2015 | 68.4 | 65 | 31.4 |
| 2014 | 68.5 | 65.1 | 31.4 |
| 2013 | 68.5 | 65.3 | 31.4 |
| 2012 | 68.5 | 65.4 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 68.5 | 65.6 | 31.9 |
| 2010 | 68.5 | 65.7 | 32 |
| 2009 | 68.5 | 65.9 | 32 |
| 2008 | 68.4 | 66 | 32 |
| 2007 | 68.4 | 66.2 | 32.1 |
| 2006 | 68.4 | 66.3 | 32.1 |
| 2005 | 68.4 | 66.4 | 32.1 |
| 2004 | 68.4 | 66.5 | 32.2 |
| 2003 | 68.3 | 66.6 | 32.3 |
| 2002 | 68.3 | 66.7 | 32.3 |
| 2001 | 68.3 | 66.9 | 32.3 |
| 2000 | 68.3 | 67.1 | 32.4 |
| 1999 | 68.3 | 67.2 | 32.5 |
| 1998 | 68.3 | 67.3 | 32.5 |
| 1997 | 68.3 | 67.4 | 32.6 |
| 1996 | 68.3 | 67.5 | 32.7 |
| 1995 | 68.3 | 67.5 | 32.7 |
| 1994 | 68.4 | 67.6 | 32.8 |
| 1993 | 68.4 | 67.7 | 32.8 |
| 1992 | 68.4 | 67.8 | 33 |
| 1991 | 68.4 | 67.8 | – |
| 1990 | 68.4 | 67.9 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
- Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 209 countries with a value in 2024, 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
Japan vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyJapan: 84.7 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityJapan: 0.2 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityJapan: 1.6 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterJapan: 98.7% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionJapan: 3.34% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateJapan: 15.7 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationJapan: 124 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthJapan: -0.48% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateJapan: 1.21 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationJapan: 92.3% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageJapan: 49 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overJapan: 29.6% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateJapan: 1.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingJapan: 1.41% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsJapan: $59.5B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personJapan: $504 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingJapan: 3.8% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelJapan: 261,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerJapan: 2.47% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersJapan: 0.38% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsJapan: 1.72 billion TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsJapan: 28 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025