South Korea vs Switzerland
Every indicator for South Korea and Switzerland side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | South Korea | Switzerland | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 51,684,564 | 9,092,436 | +468.4% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 1,872 | 1,044 | +79.3% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 36,227 | 114,769 | −68.4% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.6 | 84.4 | — |
| Area (km²) | 100,450 | 41,291 | +143.3% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 515 | 220 | +133.7% |
| Median age (years) | 45.5 | 43.0 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 97.9 | 97.3 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 2.7 | 4.9 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.1 | 0.2 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 81.2 | 85.7 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 47,571 | 6,722 | +607.7% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.56 | 0.72 | +255.6% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 11.32 | 2.27 | +398.7% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 920 | 739 | +24.5% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 569,000 | 20,000 | +2,745.0% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 11.0 | 2.2 | +400.5% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 2.01 | 0.40 | +402.5% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of South Korea relative to Switzerland; a positive value favors South Korea. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
At a glance
South Korea is higher on 11 of the 12 indicators, while Switzerland leads on the remaining 1. The widest separation is in armed forces personnel (2020), about 28 times; they are closest on military expenditure per capita.
Key differences
- Armed forces personnel (2020) shows the widest gap of all: South Korea stands at 569,000 against Switzerland's 20,000 — roughly 28 times as much.
- South Korea's military expenditure (2024) (47,571) is about 7.1 times Switzerland's (6,722).
- South Korea's population (2025) (51,684,564) is about 5.7 times Switzerland's (9,092,436).
- South Korea's armed forces as a share of the labor force (2.01) is about 5.0 times Switzerland's (0.40).
- South Korea's armed forces per 1,000 people (11.0) is about 5.0 times Switzerland's (2.2).
Frequently asked questions
Where do South Korea and Switzerland differ most?
Where are South Korea and Switzerland most alike?
On how many indicators is South Korea ahead of Switzerland?
The indicators use different scales, so the chart is a rough visual comparison only; use the table for exact figures.
Related comparisons
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South Korea profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Switzerland profile →
All statistics, series, and details.