South Korea vs Spain
South Korea vs Spain: Life expectancy
Life expectancy in 2023: 84.3 years in South Korea and 83.7 years in Spain, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in South Korea, by 0.7 years, or 1.01 times that in Spain.
years · UN
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 2017, when it overtook Spain.
- In 2023, South Korea ranked 5 and Spain ranked 13 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts South Korea at 93.1 years and Spain at 92.9 years in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 73.2 years in 2023.
Every year
years · UN
| Year | South Korea | Spain | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 84.3 | 83.7 | 73.2 |
| 2022 | 82.7 | 82.4 | 72.6 |
| 2021 | 83.9 | 83 | 70.9 |
| 2020 | 83.7 | 82.2 | 71.9 |
| 2019 | 83.7 | 83.5 | 72.6 |
| 2018 | 83.3 | 83.1 | 72.4 |
| 2017 | 83.3 | 83 | 72.1 |
| 2016 | 82.9 | 83 | 71.9 |
| 2015 | 82.5 | 82.6 | 71.6 |
| 2014 | 82.4 | 82.8 | 71.4 |
| 2013 | 81.8 | 82.7 | 71.1 |
| 2012 | 81.3 | 82.2 | 70.8 |
| 2011 | 81.2 | 82.2 | 70.4 |
| 2010 | 80.7 | 82 | 70.1 |
| 2009 | 80.6 | 81.6 | 69.7 |
| 2008 | 80 | 81.3 | 69.3 |
| 2007 | 79.4 | 81 | 69 |
| 2006 | 79 | 81 | 68.6 |
| 2005 | 78.5 | 80.3 | 68.1 |
| 2004 | 78 | 80.3 | 67.7 |
| 2003 | 77.5 | 79.8 | 67.4 |
| 2002 | 77.2 | 79.8 | 67.1 |
| 2001 | 76.9 | 79.7 | 66.8 |
| 2000 | 76.2 | 79.4 | 66.4 |
| 1999 | 75.6 | 78.9 | 66 |
| 1998 | 75 | 78.9 | 65.7 |
| 1997 | 74.5 | 78.9 | 65.5 |
| 1996 | 74 | 78.3 | 65.2 |
| 1995 | 73.4 | 78.2 | 64.9 |
| 1994 | 72.9 | 78.1 | 64.3 |
| 1993 | 72.8 | 77.7 | 64.4 |
| 1992 | 72.2 | 77.6 | 64.3 |
| 1991 | 71.4 | 77.1 | 64.1 |
| 1990 | 71 | 77 | 64 |
| 1989 | 70.7 | 77 | 63.8 |
| 1988 | 70.2 | 77 | 63.4 |
| 1987 | 69.3 | 77 | 63.2 |
| 1986 | 69 | 76.7 | 62.7 |
| 1985 | 68.4 | 76.4 | 62.2 |
| 1984 | 68.1 | 76.5 | 61.9 |
| 1983 | 66.7 | 76.1 | 61.5 |
| 1982 | 67.1 | 76.3 | 61.3 |
| 1981 | 67.1 | 75.7 | 60.9 |
| 1980 | 64.9 | 75.5 | 60.5 |
| 1979 | 66.1 | 75 | 60.2 |
| 1978 | 65 | 74.5 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 64.6 | 74.3 | 59.2 |
| 1976 | 65 | 73.8 | 58.6 |
| 1975 | 64.7 | 73.5 | 58.3 |
| 1974 | 64.2 | 73.1 | 58.1 |
| 1973 | 63.8 | 72.7 | 57.7 |
| 1972 | 63.2 | 73 | 57.2 |
| 1971 | 62.7 | 71.7 | 56 |
| 1970 | 62.2 | 72.2 | 56.3 |
| 1969 | 61.4 | 71.1 | 56 |
| 1968 | 60.9 | 71.7 | 55.6 |
| 1967 | 60.9 | 71.4 | 55.1 |
| 1966 | 55.4 | 71.2 | 54.6 |
| 1965 | 55.8 | 70.9 | 54 |
| 1964 | 55.3 | 70.5 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 55 | 69.8 | 53.7 |
| 1962 | 55 | 69.6 | 53.2 |
| 1961 | 54.4 | 69.6 | 50.4 |
| 1960 | 53.8 | 69.2 | 47.8 |
| 1959 | 52.9 | 68.7 | 49.6 |
| 1958 | 51.8 | 68.8 | 51.6 |
| 1957 | 51.6 | 66.6 | 51.1 |
| 1956 | 50.2 | 66.8 | 50.7 |
| 1955 | 48.4 | 66.7 | 50.2 |
| 1954 | 46.1 | 66.9 | 49.7 |
| 1953 | 40.5 | 65.7 | 48.8 |
| 1952 | 36.6 | 64.8 | 48.2 |
| 1951 | 26.6 | 61.5 | 47.1 |
| 1950 | 22.2 | 61.8 | 46.4 |
| 1949 | – | 60.9 | – |
| 1948 | – | 61.3 | – |
| 1947 | – | 59.1 | – |
| 1946 | – | 57.6 | – |
| 1945 | – | 57.8 | – |
| 1944 | – | 56.3 | – |
| 1943 | – | 54.9 | – |
| 1942 | 44.9 | 52.3 | – |
| 1941 | – | 47.3 | – |
| 1940 | – | 48.6 | – |
| 1939 | – | 47.2 | – |
| 1938 | 42.6 | 47.6 | – |
| 1937 | – | 47.3 | – |
| 1936 | – | 51 | – |
| 1935 | – | 52.7 | – |
| 1934 | – | 52.2 | – |
| 1933 | 37.4 | 51.6 | – |
| 1932 | – | 51.1 | – |
| 1931 | – | 49.3 | – |
| 1930 | – | 49.3 | – |
| 1929 | – | 49.5 | – |
| 1928 | 33.6 | 48.6 | – |
| 1927 | – | 48.5 | – |
| 1926 | – | 47.7 | – |
| 1925 | – | 47 | – |
| 1924 | – | 46.3 | – |
| 1923 | 29.5 | 44.8 | – |
| 1922 | – | 44.2 | – |
| 1921 | – | 42 | – |
| 1920 | – | 39.4 | – |
| 1919 | – | 41 | – |
| 1918 | 27 | 30.4 | – |
| 1917 | – | 42.6 | – |
| 1916 | – | 43.9 | – |
| 1915 | – | 43.1 | – |
| 1914 | – | 42.8 | – |
| 1913 | 25 | 42.6 | – |
| 1912 | – | 43.4 | – |
| 1911 | – | 39.8 | – |
| 1910 | – | 40.8 | – |
| 1909 | – | 41 | – |
| 1908 | 23.5 | 41.4 | – |
| 1900 | – | 34.8 | – |
| 1892 | – | 32.1 | – |
| 1882 | – | 29.5 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Our World in Data
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | South Korea | Spain | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 84.483.5–85.3 | 83.882.9–84.7 | 73.3 |
| 2025 | 84.583.2–85.9 | 8482.7–85.3 | 73.5 |
| 2026 | 84.683.1–86.2 | 84.182.6–85.7 | 73.8 |
| 2027 | 84.783–86.6 | 84.282.5–86.1 | 73.9 |
| 2028 | 84.982.9–86.9 | 84.482.5–86.5 | 74.1 |
| 2029 | 8582.8–87.2 | 84.582.5–86.9 | 74.2 |
| 2030 | 85.182.8–87.5 | 84.682.5–87.2 | 74.4 |
| 2031 | 85.282.8–87.8 | 84.882.4–87.4 | 74.5 |
| 2032 | 85.382.8–88.1 | 84.982.5–87.8 | 74.7 |
| 2033 | 85.482.7–88.4 | 8582.5–87.9 | 74.8 |
| 2034 | 85.582.8–88.6 | 85.282.5–88.3 | 75 |
| 2035 | 85.682.8–88.9 | 85.382.6–88.5 | 75.1 |
| 2036 | 85.782.7–88.9 | 85.482.6–88.7 | 75.3 |
| 2037 | 85.882.8–89.2 | 85.582.6–88.8 | 75.4 |
| 2038 | 8682.8–89.5 | 85.782.6–89.1 | 75.5 |
| 2039 | 86.182.8–89.7 | 85.882.6–89.4 | 75.7 |
| 2040 | 86.282.8–90 | 85.982.6–89.7 | 75.8 |
| 2041 | 86.382.8–90.2 | 8682.6–89.7 | 75.9 |
| 2042 | 86.482.8–90.3 | 86.282.6–90.1 | 76.1 |
| 2043 | 86.582.9–90.5 | 86.382.6–90.3 | 76.2 |
| 2044 | 86.682.9–90.8 | 86.482.6–90.5 | 76.3 |
| 2045 | 86.882.8–90.8 | 86.682.7–90.7 | 76.5 |
| 2046 | 86.983–91 | 86.782.6–90.9 | 76.6 |
| 2047 | 8782.9–91.3 | 86.882.7–91.2 | 76.7 |
| 2048 | 87.182.9–91.5 | 86.982.7–91.4 | 76.8 |
| 2049 | 87.282.8–91.9 | 8782.8–91.7 | 76.9 |
| 2050 | 87.382.8–91.9 | 87.182.8–92 | 77 |
| 2051 | 87.582.9–92.1 | 87.382.9–92.1 | 77.1 |
| 2052 | 87.682.9–92.3 | 87.482.9–92.5 | 77.2 |
| 2053 | 87.783–92.5 | 87.583–92.7 | 77.3 |
| 2054 | 87.882.9–92.5 | 87.783.1–92.9 | 77.4 |
| 2055 | 87.983–92.9 | 87.883.1–93.2 | 77.6 |
| 2056 | 8883.1–93.1 | 87.983.1–93.5 | 77.7 |
| 2057 | 88.183.1–93.2 | 8883–93.5 | 77.8 |
| 2058 | 88.383.3–93.7 | 88.183–93.7 | 77.9 |
| 2059 | 88.483.3–93.7 | 88.282.8–93.9 | 78 |
| 2060 | 88.583.3–93.9 | 88.483–94 | 78.1 |
| 2061 | 88.683.3–94.1 | 88.583.3–94.1 | 78.2 |
| 2062 | 88.783.2–94.3 | 88.683.3–94.3 | 78.3 |
| 2063 | 88.883.4–94.3 | 88.783.4–94.6 | 78.4 |
| 2064 | 88.983.5–94.7 | 88.883.4–94.9 | 78.5 |
| 2065 | 8983.5–94.8 | 88.983.4–95.1 | 78.6 |
| 2066 | 89.283.7–95.2 | 89.183.4–95.2 | 78.7 |
| 2067 | 89.383.7–95.4 | 89.283.4–95.4 | 78.8 |
| 2068 | 89.483.9–95.4 | 89.383.6–95.7 | 78.9 |
| 2069 | 89.583.8–95.7 | 89.483.6–95.9 | 79 |
| 2070 | 89.683.8–95.9 | 89.583.8–96.1 | 79.1 |
| 2071 | 89.783.8–96 | 89.684.1–96.4 | 79.2 |
| 2072 | 89.883.9–96.4 | 89.884.1–96.5 | 79.3 |
| 2073 | 9084–96.5 | 89.984.1–96.7 | 79.4 |
| 2074 | 90.183.8–96.7 | 9084.1–96.8 | 79.4 |
| 2075 | 90.283.7–96.9 | 90.184.2–97.1 | 79.5 |
| 2076 | 90.383.9–97.2 | 90.284.3–97.2 | 79.6 |
| 2077 | 90.483.9–97.2 | 90.384.4–97.3 | 79.7 |
| 2078 | 90.583.8–97.3 | 90.484.4–97.4 | 79.8 |
| 2079 | 90.683.8–97.5 | 90.684.4–97.4 | 79.9 |
| 2080 | 90.783.9–97.7 | 90.784.3–97.9 | 80 |
| 2081 | 90.984–97.9 | 90.884.5–97.9 | 80.1 |
| 2082 | 9183.8–98.1 | 90.984.6–98.1 | 80.2 |
| 2083 | 91.184–98.3 | 9184.7–98.3 | 80.3 |
| 2084 | 91.284–98.5 | 91.184.8–98.4 | 80.3 |
| 2085 | 91.384–98.6 | 91.284.9–98.6 | 80.4 |
| 2086 | 91.484.2–98.7 | 91.384.9–98.8 | 80.5 |
| 2087 | 91.684.4–98.9 | 91.584.8–99 | 80.6 |
| 2088 | 91.784.3–99 | 91.685–99 | 80.7 |
| 2089 | 91.884.4–99.4 | 91.784.9–99.1 | 80.8 |
| 2090 | 91.984.4–99.5 | 91.884.8–99.1 | 80.9 |
| 2091 | 92.184.5–99.8 | 91.984.8–99.4 | 81 |
| 2092 | 92.284.8–99.8 | 9285.1–99.5 | 81 |
| 2093 | 92.384.9–100.1 | 92.185.2–99.6 | 81.1 |
| 2094 | 92.484.9–100.4 | 92.285.2–99.8 | 81.2 |
| 2095 | 92.584.9–100.8 | 92.385.2–99.9 | 81.3 |
| 2096 | 92.785.1–100.9 | 92.485.3–100.2 | 81.4 |
| 2097 | 92.885.2–101.1 | 92.585.3–100.4 | 81.5 |
| 2098 | 92.985.3–101.4 | 92.685.4–100.6 | 81.6 |
| 2099 | 9385.3–101.5 | 92.885.4–100.7 | 81.7 |
| 2100 | 93.185.4–101.6 | 92.985.4–100.8 | 81.7 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How long a newborn would live on average if the year’s death rates held all its life.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- Before 1950: Our World in Data, long-run life expectancy.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, 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
South Korea vs Spain
Health
- Child mortalitySouth Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024Spain: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Spain: 2.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSouth Korea: 99.3% in 2022Spain: 99.6% in 2022
- DepressionSouth Korea: 3.17% in 2017Spain: 3.54% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Spain: 5.5 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023Spain: 47.9 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023Spain: 0.02% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023Spain: 1.21 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Korea: 81.2% in 2025Spain: 80.5% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Korea: 44.5 years in 2023Spain: 44.9 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Korea: 18.3% in 2023Spain: 20.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023Spain: 2.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025Spain: 2.13% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Korea: $48.9B in 2025Spain: $37.7B in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Korea: $924 in 2025Spain: $839 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025Spain: 4.7% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Korea: 569,000 people in 2020Spain: 199,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022Spain: 0.66% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020Spain: 0.87% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025Spain: 237 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025Spain: 341 million TIV in 2025