South Korea vs Italy
Every indicator for South Korea and Italy side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | South Korea | Italy | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 51,684,564 | 58,915,656 | −12.3% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 1,872 | 2,552 | −26.6% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 36,227 | 43,309 | −16.4% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.6 | 84.0 | — |
| Area (km²) | 100,450 | 302,070 | −66.7% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 515 | 195 | +163.8% |
| Median age (years) | 45.5 | 48.4 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 97.9 | 89.2 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 2.7 | 6.4 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.1 | 1.5 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 81.2 | 69.7 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 47,571 | 37,965 | +25.3% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.56 | 1.61 | +59.0% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 11.32 | 3.18 | +256.0% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 920 | 644 | +42.8% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 569,000 | 338,000 | +68.3% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 11.0 | 5.7 | +91.9% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 2.01 | 1.35 | +48.9% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of South Korea relative to Italy; 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 12.3% lower than Italy.
- On gdp (nominal), South Korea is 26.6% lower than Italy.
- On gdp per capita, South Korea is 16.4% lower than Italy.
South KoreaItaly
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 Italy.
South Korea profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Italy profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI