South Korea vs Netherlands
Every indicator for South Korea and Netherlands side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | South Korea | Netherlands | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 51,684,564 | 18,087,633 | +185.7% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 1,872 | 1,333 | +40.4% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 36,227 | 73,684 | −50.8% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.6 | 82.0 | — |
| Area (km²) | 100,450 | 41,540 | +141.8% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 515 | 435 | +18.2% |
| Median age (years) | 45.5 | 42.2 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 97.9 | 97.0 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 2.7 | 3.9 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.1 | 3.3 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 81.2 | 95.9 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 47,571 | 23,179 | +105.2% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.56 | 1.92 | +33.3% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 11.32 | 4.34 | +160.8% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 920 | 1,281 | −28.2% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 569,000 | 41,000 | +1,287.8% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 11.0 | 2.3 | +385.7% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 2.01 | 0.42 | +378.6% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of South Korea relative to Netherlands; a positive value favors South Korea. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
Key differences
- On population (2025), South Korea is 185.7% higher than Netherlands.
- On gdp (nominal), South Korea is 40.4% higher than Netherlands.
- On gdp per capita, South Korea is 50.8% lower than Netherlands.
South KoreaNetherlands
The indicators use different scales, so the chart is a rough visual comparison only; use the table for exact figures.
Related comparisons
Other comparisons involving South Korea or Netherlands.
South Korea profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Netherlands profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI