Papua New Guinea vs South Korea
Papua New Guinea vs South Korea: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 4,000 people in Papua New Guinea and 569,000 people in South Korea, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Korea, by 565,000 people, or 140 times that in Papua New Guinea.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1985.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Papua New Guinea | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 4,000 | 569,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 4,000 | 613,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 3,600 | 608,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 4,000 | 634,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 3,600 | 634,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 1,900 | 634,500 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 1,900 | 632,500 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 1,900 | 659,500 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 1,900 | 659,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 3,100 | 659,500 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 3,100 | 659,500 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 3,100 | 659,500 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 3,000 | 692,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 3,000 | 692,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 3,000 | 692,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 3,000 | 693,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 3,000 | 696,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 3,100 | 690,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 3,100 | 690,500 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 4,400 | 687,500 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 4,400 | 687,500 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 4,300 | 676,500 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 4,300 | 676,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 4,300 | 676,500 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 3,700 | 668,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 3,800 | 641,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 4,000 | 750,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | – | 750,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 4,000 | 750,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 4,000 | 750,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 4,000 | 650,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 3,000 | 647,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 3,200 | 598,000 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 3,000 | 602,000 | – |
| 1983 | 3,000 | 602,000 | – |
| 1982 | 3,000 | 601,000 | – |
| 1981 | 3,000 | 606,000 | – |
| 1980 | 3,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1979 | 4,000 | 638,000 | – |
| 1978 | 4,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1977 | 3,000 | 600,000 | – |
| 1976 | 4,000 | 610,000 | – |
| 1975 | 4,000 | 630,000 | – |
| 1974 | – | 634,000 | – |
| 1973 | – | 634,000 | – |
| 1972 | – | 635,000 | – |
| 1971 | – | 638,000 | – |
| 1970 | – | 645,000 | – |
| 1969 | – | 620,000 | – |
| 1968 | – | 620,000 | – |
| 1967 | – | 612,000 | – |
| 1966 | – | 572,000 | – |
| 1965 | – | 604,000 | – |
| 1964 | – | 600,000 | – |
| 1963 | – | 627,000 | – |
| 1962 | – | 570,000 | – |
| 1961 | – | 570,000 | – |
| 1960 | – | 650,000 | – |
| 1959 | – | 650,000 | – |
| 1958 | – | 650,000 | – |
| 1957 | – | 650,000 | – |
| 1956 | – | 650,000 | – |
| 1955 | – | 730,000 | – |
| 1954 | – | 630,000 | – |
| 1953 | – | 504,000 | – |
| 1952 | – | 335,000 | – |
| 1951 | – | 196,000 | – |
| 1950 | – | 109,000 | – |
| 1949 | – | 69,000 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Correlates of War
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel, with paramilitary forces where they are trained and equipped like soldiers, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Before 1985: Correlates of War Project, National Material Capabilities v7.0; Singer, Bremer and Stuckey (1972), “Capability Distribution, Uncertainty, and Major Power War, 1820–1965”, in Bruce Russett (ed.), Peace, War, and Numbers, Sage, 19–48.
- Ranks count the 170 countries with a value in 2020, 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
Papua New Guinea vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyPapua New Guinea: 66.1 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityPapua New Guinea: 3.9 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityPapua New Guinea: 32.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionPapua New Guinea: 3.17% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide ratePapua New Guinea: 23.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationPapua New Guinea: 10.4 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthPapua New Guinea: 1.8% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility ratePapua New Guinea: 3.1 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationPapua New Guinea: 15.8% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median agePapua New Guinea: 22.3 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overPapua New Guinea: 3.3% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration ratePapua New Guinea: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personPapua New Guinea: $2,665 in 2025South Korea: $37,470 in 2025
- GDP growthPapua New Guinea: 3.9% a year in 2024South Korea: 1.1% a year in 2025
- InflationPapua New Guinea: 4.4% a year in 2025South Korea: 2.1% a year in 2025
- Government debtPapua New Guinea: 51.6% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 49.6% of GDP in 2024
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingPapua New Guinea: 0.35% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsPapua New Guinea: $110M in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personPapua New Guinea: $10 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingPapua New Guinea: 1.6% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- National powerPapua New Guinea: 0.03% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersPapua New Guinea: 0.12% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsPapua New Guinea: 9 million TIV in 2023South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
- CO₂ per personPapua New Guinea: 0.52 tonnes in 2024South Korea: 11.36 tonnes in 2024
- Internet usersPapua New Guinea: 18.8% in 2024South Korea: 97.9% in 2024
- Access to electricityPapua New Guinea: 43.3% in 2024South Korea: 100% in 2024
- Forest areaPapua New Guinea: 75.2% in 2024South Korea: 64.4% in 2024