South Korea vs Turkey
Every indicator for South Korea and Turkey side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | South Korea | Turkey | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 51,684,564 | 85,878,556 | −39.8% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 1,872 | 1,597 | +17.2% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 36,227 | 18,599 | +94.8% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.6 | 77.4 | — |
| Area (km²) | 100,450 | 785,350 | −87.2% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 515 | 109 | +370.5% |
| Median age (years) | 45.5 | 34.4 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 97.9 | 89.8 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 2.7 | 8.5 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.1 | 34.9 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 81.2 | 89.5 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 47,571 | 24,979 | +90.4% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.56 | 1.92 | +33.3% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 11.32 | — | — |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 920 | 291 | +216.4% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 569,000 | 512,000 | +11.1% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 11.0 | 6.0 | +84.7% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 2.01 | 1.61 | +24.8% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of South Korea relative to Turkey; 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% lower than Turkey.
- On gdp (nominal), South Korea is 17.2% higher than Turkey.
- On gdp per capita, South Korea is 94.8% higher than Turkey.
South KoreaTurkey
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 Turkey.
South Korea profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Turkey profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI