Japan vs South Korea: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 92.3% in Japan and 81.2% in South Korea, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Japan, by 11.1 percentage points, or 1.14 times that in South Korea.
JapanSouth Korea
Watch it change on the map% of people · UN
Latest figures
% of people · UN
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 92.3 2025 | 91.4 | 28 of 229 | 96 2050 |
| South Korea | 81.2 2025 | 81.6 | 59 of 229 | 83.3 2050 |
What the numbers say
- Japan has been higher since 2002, when it overtook South Korea.
- In 2025, Japan ranked 28 and South Korea ranked 59 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Japan at 96% and South Korea at 83.3% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92.3 | 81.2 |
| 2024 | 92.2 | 81.2 |
| 2023 | 92.1 | 81.2 |
| 2022 | 92 | 81.2 |
| 2021 | 91.9 | 81.2 |
| 2020 | 91.8 | 81.2 |
| 2019 | 91.7 | 81.3 |
| 2018 | 91.6 | 81.4 |
| 2017 | 91.6 | 81.5 |
| 2016 | 91.5 | 81.6 |
| 2015 | 91.4 | 81.6 |
| 2014 | 91.3 | 81.7 |
| 2013 | 91.2 | 81.8 |
| 2012 | 91 | 81.9 |
| 2011 | 90.9 | 82 |
| 2010 | 90.6 | 82 |
| 2009 | 90.1 | 81.9 |
| 2008 | 89.3 | 81.8 |
| 2007 | 88.3 | 81.7 |
| 2006 | 87.2 | 81.6 |
| 2005 | 86 | 81.4 |
| 2004 | 84.4 | 81.1 |
| 2003 | 82.4 | 80.7 |
| 2002 | 80.6 | 80.3 |
| 2001 | 79.2 | 79.9 |
| 2000 | 78.6 | 79.6 |
| 1999 | 78.5 | 79.4 |
| 1998 | 78.3 | 79.2 |
| 1997 | 78.2 | 79 |
| 1996 | 78.1 | 78.8 |
| 1995 | 78 | 78.4 |
| 1994 | 77.9 | 77.9 |
| 1993 | 77.8 | 77.1 |
| 1992 | 77.6 | 76.2 |
| 1991 | 77.5 | 75.2 |
| 1990 | 77.3 | 74 |
| 1989 | 77.2 | 72.5 |
| 1988 | 77.1 | 70.6 |
| 1987 | 76.9 | 68.6 |
| 1986 | 76.8 | 66.6 |
| 1985 | 76.7 | 64.8 |
| 1984 | 76.6 | 63.2 |
| 1983 | 76.5 | 61.5 |
| 1982 | 76.4 | 60 |
| 1981 | 76.3 | 58.3 |
| 1980 | 76.2 | 56.7 |
| 1979 | 76.1 | 54.9 |
| 1978 | 76.1 | 53.1 |
| 1977 | 76 | 51.3 |
| 1976 | 76 | 49.6 |
| 1975 | 75.9 | 48 |
| 1974 | 75.4 | 46.5 |
| 1973 | 74.6 | 45.2 |
| 1972 | 73.7 | 43.8 |
| 1971 | 72.7 | 42.4 |
| 1970 | 71.9 | 40.7 |
| 1969 | 71.1 | 38.7 |
| 1968 | 70.3 | 36.5 |
| 1967 | 69.5 | 34.6 |
| 1966 | 68.7 | 33.1 |
| 1965 | 67.9 | 32 |
| 1964 | 67 | 31 |
| 1963 | 66.1 | 30.1 |
| 1962 | 65.2 | 29.2 |
| 1961 | 64.3 | 28.5 |
| 1960 | 63.3 | 27.7 |
| 1959 | 62.3 | 27 |
| 1958 | 61.3 | 26.3 |
| 1957 | 60.1 | 25.7 |
| 1956 | 58.7 | 25.1 |
| 1955 | 56.8 | 24.4 |
| 1954 | 53.4 | 23.6 |
| 1953 | 48.7 | 22.9 |
| 1952 | 43.8 | 22.1 |
| 1951 | 39.6 | 21.3 |
| 1950 | 37 | 20.6 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 92.4 | 81.2 |
| 2027 | 92.5 | 81.2 |
| 2028 | 92.7 | 81.2 |
| 2029 | 92.8 | 81.2 |
| 2030 | 92.9 | 81.3 |
| 2031 | 93 | 81.3 |
| 2032 | 93.1 | 81.3 |
| 2033 | 93.3 | 81.4 |
| 2034 | 93.4 | 81.4 |
| 2035 | 93.6 | 81.4 |
| 2036 | 93.7 | 81.5 |
| 2037 | 93.8 | 81.6 |
| 2038 | 94 | 81.6 |
| 2039 | 94.1 | 81.7 |
| 2040 | 94.3 | 81.8 |
| 2041 | 94.4 | 81.9 |
| 2042 | 94.6 | 82 |
| 2043 | 94.8 | 82.1 |
| 2044 | 94.9 | 82.3 |
| 2045 | 95.1 | 82.4 |
| 2046 | 95.3 | 82.6 |
| 2047 | 95.5 | 82.7 |
| 2048 | 95.6 | 82.9 |
| 2049 | 95.8 | 83.1 |
| 2050 | 96 | 83.3 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living in places the country itself counts as urban.
- Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time