Saudi Arabia vs South Korea
Saudi Arabia vs South Korea: Learning-adjusted schooling
Learning-adjusted schooling in 2020: 7.9 years in Saudi Arabia and 11.7 years in South Korea, by World Bank estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Korea, by 3.8 years, or 1.48 times that in Saudi Arabia.
years · World Bank
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2010.
- In 2020, Saudi Arabia ranked 87 and South Korea ranked 7 of 174 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
years · World Bank
| Year | Saudi Arabia | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 7.9 | 11.7 |
| 2018 | 8 | 12.3 |
| 2017 | 8.1 | 12.2 |
| 2010 | 7.4 | 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
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
- Armed forces, share of workersSaudi Arabia: 1.92% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- 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