South Korea vs Saudi Arabia
Every indicator for South Korea and Saudi Arabia side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | South Korea | Saudi Arabia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 51,684,564 | 36,973,555 | +39.8% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 1,872 | 1,277 | +46.6% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 36,227 | 34,537 | +4.9% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.6 | 79.0 | — |
| Area (km²) | 100,450 | 2,149,690 | −95.3% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 515 | 17 | +2,891.5% |
| Median age (years) | 45.5 | 30.8 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 97.9 | 100.0 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 2.7 | 3.0 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.1 | 2.1 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 81.2 | 84.6 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 47,571 | 80,331 | −40.8% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.56 | 7.30 | −64.9% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 11.32 | 22.31 | −49.3% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 920 | 2,173 | −57.6% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 569,000 | 282,000 | +101.8% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 11.0 | 7.6 | +44.3% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 2.01 | 1.92 | +4.7% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of South Korea relative to Saudi Arabia; 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 39.8% higher than Saudi Arabia.
- On gdp (nominal), South Korea is 46.6% higher than Saudi Arabia.
- On gdp per capita, South Korea is 4.9% higher than Saudi Arabia.
South KoreaSaudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia.
South Korea profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Saudi Arabia profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI