South Korea vs Thailand
Every indicator for South Korea and Thailand side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | South Korea | Thailand | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 51,684,564 | 71,619,863 | −27.8% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 1,872 | 577 | +224.4% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 36,227 | 8,057 | +349.6% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.6 | 76.6 | — |
| Area (km²) | 100,450 | 513,115 | −80.4% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 515 | 140 | +268.6% |
| Median age (years) | 45.5 | 40.5 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 97.9 | 90.9 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 2.7 | 0.8 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.1 | -0.1 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 81.2 | 62.8 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 47,571 | 5,522 | +761.5% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.56 | 1.08 | +137.0% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 11.32 | 4.54 | +149.3% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 920 | 77 | +1,093.8% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 569,000 | 455,000 | +25.1% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 11.0 | 6.4 | +73.3% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 2.01 | 1.13 | +77.9% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of South Korea relative to Thailand; 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 27.8% lower than Thailand.
- On gdp (nominal), South Korea is 224.4% higher than Thailand.
- On gdp per capita, South Korea is 349.6% higher than Thailand.
South KoreaThailand
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 Thailand.
South Korea profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Thailand profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI