Saudi Arabia vs South Korea
Saudi Arabia vs South Korea: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 1.92% of the labour force in Saudi Arabia and 2.01% of the labour force in South Korea, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Korea, by 0.08 percentage points, or 1.04 times that in Saudi Arabia.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 2011, when it overtook Saudi Arabia.
- In 2020, Saudi Arabia ranked 31 and South Korea ranked 26 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Saudi Arabia | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.92 | 2.01 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 1.85 | 2.15 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 1.89 | 2.15 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 1.84 | 2.26 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 1.78 | 2.28 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 1.88 | 2.31 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 2.04 | 2.33 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 2.15 | 2.5 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 2.33 | 2.54 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 2.54 | 2.59 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 2.79 | 2.64 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 2.9 | 2.67 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 2.95 | 2.81 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 3.15 | 2.83 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 3.4 | 2.86 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 3.27 | 2.89 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 3.47 | 2.92 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 3.72 | 2.95 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 3.96 | 2.96 | 1 |
| 2001 | 4.23 | 3 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 4.44 | 3.05 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 3.9 | 3.06 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 4.05 | 3.09 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 4.21 | 3.04 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 4.38 | 3.07 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 4.53 | 3.01 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 4.36 | 3.6 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 4.77 | 3.71 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 4.98 | 3.77 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 5.83 | 3.85 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 4.69 | 3.44 | 1.11 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 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
Saudi Arabia vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancySaudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySaudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySaudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSaudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateSaudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSaudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthSaudi Arabia: 2.39% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSaudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSaudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageSaudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSaudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateSaudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSaudi Arabia: $25,070 in 2025South Korea: $37,470 in 2025
- GDP growthSaudi Arabia: 4.6% a year in 2025South Korea: 1.1% a year in 2025
- InflationSaudi Arabia: 2% a year in 2025South Korea: 2.1% a year in 2025
- Government debtSaudi Arabia: 31.8% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 49.6% of GDP in 2024
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSaudi Arabia: 6.48% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSaudi Arabia: $81.5B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personSaudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSaudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSaudi Arabia: 282,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerSaudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsSaudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSaudi Arabia: 3 million TIV in 2023South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025