Share of the population that is female in South Korea
South Korea: Share of the population that is female was 50.1% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
50.1%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
134th
of 215 countries
All-time high
50.1%
in 2025
All-time low
48.9%
in 2000
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Share of the population that is female in South Korea, 1960–2025
Source: United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total.
Analysis
In 2025, share of the population that is female in South Korea stood at 50.1%. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population that is female in South Korea peaked at 50.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 48.9%, in 2000.
That places South Korea 134th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Share of the population that is female in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 49.7% | — |
| 1961 | 49.7% | -0.0% |
| 1962 | 49.6% | -0.1% |
| 1963 | 49.6% | -0.1% |
| 1964 | 49.5% | -0.1% |
| 1965 | 49.5% | -0.1% |
| 1966 | 49.5% | -0.0% |
| 1967 | 49.5% | +0.1% |
| 1968 | 49.5% | +0.1% |
| 1969 | 49.6% | +0.1% |
| 1970 | 49.6% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 49.6% | -0.0% |
| 1972 | 49.5% | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 49.5% | -0.1% |
| 1974 | 49.4% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 49.3% | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 49.4% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 49.4% | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 49.4% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 49.4% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 49.4% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 49.5% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 49.5% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 49.5% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 49.5% | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 49.4% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 49.4% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 49.1% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 49.1% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 49.1% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 49.0% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 49.0% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 49.0% | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 48.9% | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 48.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 49.0% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 49.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 49.1% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 49.1% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 49.1% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 49.2% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 49.2% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 49.2% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 49.3% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 49.5% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 49.6% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 49.7% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 49.8% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 49.9% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 49.9% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 50.0% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 50.0% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 50.0% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 50.1% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 50.1% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 50.1% | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 50.1% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 50.1% | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 50.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 50.6%, 99% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 50.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 49.8%, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 49.6% | 49.5% | 49.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 49.4% | 49.3% | 49.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.4% | 49.3% | 49.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.0% | 48.9% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.1% | 48.9% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.7% | 49.2% | 50.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.1% | 50.0% | 50.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More gender data for South Korea
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,318 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -3.79 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 46,871 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 46,871 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.0957 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 119,025 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 125,732 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 116,471 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 122,813 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 119,098 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population that is female in South Korea?
- Share of the population that is female in South Korea was 50.1% in 2025, according to United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population that is female recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 50.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of the population that is female recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.9% in 2000.
- How does South Korea rank for share of the population that is female?
- South Korea ranks 134th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of the population that is female rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division and World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population that is female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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