South Korea Demographics Population Religion Percentage by City Immigrants
South Korea, World Population October 4, 2017,
South Korea Demographics Population Religion Percentage 2019
South Korea Demographics Population Religion Percentage 2017. The population of South Korea showed robust growth since the republic's establishment in 1948, and then dramatically slowed down with the effects of its economic growth. In the first official census, taken in 1949, the total population of South Korea was calculated at 20,188,641 people. The 1985 census total was 40,466,577. Population growth was slow, averaging about 1.1% annually during the period from 1949 to 1955, when the population registered at 21.5 million. Growth accelerated between 1955 and 1966 to 29.2 million or an annual average of 2.8%, but declined significantly during the period 1966 to 1985 to an annual average of 1.7%. Thereafter, the annual average growth rate was estimated to be less than 1%, similar to the low growth rates of most industrialized countries and to the target figure set by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs for the 1990s. As of January 1, 1989, the population of South Korea was estimated to be approximately 42.2 million.
The proportion of the total population under fifteen years of age has risen and fallen with the growth rate. In 1955 approximately 41.2% of the population was under fifteen years of age, a percentage that rose to 43.5% in 1966 before falling to 38.3% in 1975, 34.2% in 1980, and 29.9% in 1985. In the past, the large proportion of children relative to the total population put great strains on the country's economy, particularly because substantial resources were invested in education facilities. With the slowdown in the population growth rate and a rise in the median age (from 18.7 years to 21.8 years between 1960 and 1980), the age structure of the population has begun to resemble the columnar pattern typical of developed countries, rather than the pyramidal pattern found in most parts of the Third World.
South Korea demographics Population by Religion
Religion in South Korea |
|
Nonreligious |
46.5% |
Buddhism |
22.8% |
Protestantism |
18.3% |
Catholicism |
10.9% |
Other |
1.4% |
South Korea demographics Population by Immigrants
Although immigration to South Korea is low due to strict immigration policies, it is on the rise. Foreign residents account for 2.8% of the total population.
Rank |
Country |
Population |
1 |
China |
1,045,533 |
2 |
United States |
150,778 |
3 |
Vietnam |
144,362 |
4 |
Thailand |
92,417 |
5 |
Philippines |
54,182 |
6 |
Uzbekistan |
53,816 |
7 |
Cambodia |
45,610 |
8 |
Indonesia |
42,110 |
9 |
Japan |
41,236 |
10 |
Mongolia |
35,091 |
11 |
Nepal |
33,221 |
12 |
Taiwan |
30,985 |
13 |
Russia |
30,098 |
14 |
Canada |
27,363 |
15 |
Sri Lanka |
27,360 |
16 |
Myanmar |
21,534 |
17 |
Bangladesh |
15,151 |
18 |
Pakistan |
12,511 |
19 |
Hong Kong |
11,460 |
20 |
India |
10,637 |
21 |
Australia |
9,764 |
22 |
United Kingdom |
7,896 |
23 |
New Zealand |
3,917 |
– |
Others |
87,846 |
– |
Total |
2,034,878 |
South Korea demographics Population by Race
.
South Korea is a relatively homogeneous society with an absolute majority of the population of Korean ethnicity (The Korean ethnic group accounts for approximately 96% of the total population of the Korean Republic). However, with its emergence as an economic powerhouse, opportunities for foreign immigrants increased and in 2007 the number of foreign citizens resident in South Korea passed the million mark for the first time in history, and the number reached 2 million in 2016. 1,016,000 of them came from China, with more than half of them being ethnic Koreans of Chinese citizenship. The next largest group was from Vietnam with 149,000 residents. The third largest group was from the United States with 117,000 residents, excluding the American troops stationed in the country. Thailand, Philippines, Uzbekistan and other countries followed.
South Korea Population by City
.
Most Populated Cities In South Korea |
|
City |
Population |
Seoul |
10,349,312 |
Busan |
3,678,555 |
Incheon |
2,628,000 |
Daegu |
2,566,540 |
Daejeon |
1,475,221 |
Suwon-si |
1,242,724 |
Goyang-si |
1,073,069 |
Seongnam-si |
1,031,935 |
Ulsan |
962,865 |
Bucheon-si |
850,731 |