South Korea vs United States
South Korea vs United States: Suicide rate
Suicide rate in 2017: 20.8 per 100,000 people in South Korea and 12.8 per 100,000 people in United States, by IHME estimates. In 2017 the value was higher in South Korea, by 8 per 100,000 people, or 1.62 times that in United States.
deaths per 100,000 people · IHME
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 1995, when it overtook United States.
- In 2017, South Korea ranked 14 and United States ranked 45 of 195 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 10 per 100,000 people in 2017.
Every year
deaths per 100,000 people · IHME
| Year | South Korea | United States | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 20.8 | 12.8 | 10 |
| 2016 | 21.2 | 12.8 | 10.1 |
| 2015 | 22.4 | 12.5 | 10.2 |
| 2014 | 23.5 | 12.2 | 10.3 |
| 2013 | 24.8 | 12 | 10.5 |
| 2012 | 26 | 12 | 10.7 |
| 2011 | 27.2 | 12 | 11 |
| 2010 | 27.8 | 11.8 | 11.2 |
| 2009 | 27.6 | 11.8 | 11.4 |
| 2008 | 26.6 | 11.8 | 11.6 |
| 2007 | 25.6 | 11.7 | 11.7 |
| 2006 | 24.7 | 11.6 | 12 |
| 2005 | 24.7 | 11.5 | 12.5 |
| 2004 | 24 | 11.3 | 12.6 |
| 2003 | 23 | 11.4 | 12.8 |
| 2002 | 21.1 | 11.3 | 13 |
| 2001 | 19.6 | 11.1 | 13.4 |
| 2000 | 18.5 | 10.9 | 14.1 |
| 1999 | 17.7 | 10.9 | 14.5 |
| 1998 | 17 | 11.1 | 14.7 |
| 1997 | 15.2 | 11.4 | 15.1 |
| 1996 | 14.1 | 11.7 | 15.4 |
| 1995 | 12.9 | 12 | 15.9 |
| 1994 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 16.1 |
| 1993 | 11.1 | 12.1 | 16 |
| 1992 | 10.8 | 11.9 | 15.8 |
| 1991 | 10.9 | 12.1 | 15.5 |
| 1990 | 11 | 12.1 | 15.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Deaths by suicide in a year, per 100,000 people.
- Source: IHME, Global Burden of Disease, via Our World in Data.
- Ranks count the 195 countries with a value in 2017, 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 United States
Health
- Life expectancySouth Korea: 84.3 years in 2023United States: 79.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024United States: 0.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023United States: 5.3 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSouth Korea: 99.3% in 2022United States: 97.5% in 2022
- DepressionSouth Korea: 3.17% in 2017United States: 4.84% in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023United States: 344 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023United States: 0.58% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023United States: 1.62 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Korea: 81.2% in 2025United States: 80.2% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Korea: 44.5 years in 2023United States: 38 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Korea: 18.3% in 2023United States: 17.4% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023United States: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSouth Korea: $37,470 in 2025United States: $67,950 in 2025
- GDP growthSouth Korea: 1.1% a year in 2025United States: 2.3% a year in 2025
- InflationSouth Korea: 2.1% a year in 2025United States: 2.7% a year in 2025
- Government debtSouth Korea: 49.6% of GDP in 2024United States: 124.4% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025United States: 3.12% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Korea: $48.9B in 2025United States: $929B in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Korea: $924 in 2025United States: $2,755 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025United States: 8.3% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Korea: 569,000 people in 2020United States: 1.4 million people in 2020
- National powerSouth Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022United States: 12.36% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020United States: 0.84% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025United States: 745 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025United States: 14 billion TIV in 2025