Birth rate vs. death rate in Korea
Korea: Birth rate vs. death rate was 4.57 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
4.57 births per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 7.8%
World rank
235th
of 236 countries
All-time high
42.96 births per 1,000 people
in 1957
All-time low
4.57 births per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Birth rate vs. death rate in Korea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.
Analysis
Korea recorded 4.57 births per 1,000 people for birth rate vs. death rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 7.8% on the previous year and down 47.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rate vs. death rate in Korea peaked at 42.96 births per 1,000 people in 1957 and was at its lowest, 4.57 births per 1,000 people, in 2023.
Korea ranks 235th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Birth rate vs. death rate in Korea, year by year
| Year | births per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 39.72 births per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 40.84 births per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1952 | 41.65 births per 1,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1953 | 42.31 births per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 1954 | 42.53 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 1955 | 42.6 births per 1,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1956 | 42.73 births per 1,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1957 | 42.96 births per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1958 | 42.95 births per 1,000 people | -0.0% |
| 1959 | 42.7 births per 1,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1960 | 42.07 births per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 1961 | 40.85 births per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1962 | 38.97 births per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1963 | 37.19 births per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1964 | 35.17 births per 1,000 people | -5.4% |
| 1965 | 33.75 births per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1966 | 32.79 births per 1,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1967 | 31.53 births per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 1968 | 30.74 births per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1969 | 30.32 births per 1,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1970 | 30.35 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1971 | 28.93 births per 1,000 people | -4.7% |
| 1972 | 27.35 births per 1,000 people | -5.5% |
| 1973 | 26.01 births per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1974 | 24.61 births per 1,000 people | -5.4% |
| 1975 | 23.37 births per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1976 | 22.53 births per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1977 | 21.93 births per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1978 | 20.73 births per 1,000 people | -5.5% |
| 1979 | 21.83 births per 1,000 people | +5.3% |
| 1980 | 22.38 births per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 23.14 births per 1,000 people | +3.4% |
| 1982 | 22.07 births per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1983 | 19.77 births per 1,000 people | -10.4% |
| 1984 | 17.67 births per 1,000 people | -10.6% |
| 1985 | 16.69 births per 1,000 people | -5.6% |
| 1986 | 16 births per 1,000 people | -4.1% |
| 1987 | 15.52 births per 1,000 people | -3.0% |
| 1988 | 15.31 births per 1,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 15.25 births per 1,000 people | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 15.53 births per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 16.42 births per 1,000 people | +5.8% |
| 1992 | 16.56 births per 1,000 people | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 15.86 births per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 15.6 births per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 15.27 births per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 14.74 births per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 14.21 births per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 13.52 births per 1,000 people | -4.9% |
| 1999 | 13.07 births per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2000 | 12.82 births per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2001 | 11.5 births per 1,000 people | -10.3% |
| 2002 | 10.34 births per 1,000 people | -10.1% |
| 2003 | 9.95 births per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 9.55 births per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 9.04 births per 1,000 people | -5.3% |
| 2006 | 9.17 births per 1,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 9.59 births per 1,000 people | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 9.25 births per 1,000 people | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 9.01 births per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 9.22 births per 1,000 people | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 9.27 births per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 9.28 births per 1,000 people | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 8.66 births per 1,000 people | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 8.46 births per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 8.33 births per 1,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 7.76 births per 1,000 people | -6.9% |
| 2017 | 6.92 births per 1,000 people | -10.9% |
| 2018 | 6.25 births per 1,000 people | -9.7% |
| 2019 | 5.7 births per 1,000 people | -8.7% |
| 2020 | 5.21 births per 1,000 people | -8.7% |
| 2021 | 5 births per 1,000 people | -4.0% |
| 2022 | 4.96 births per 1,000 people | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 4.57 births per 1,000 people | -7.8% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 4.57 births per 1,000 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.6 births per 1,000 people, 48% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Korea's 4.57 births per 1,000 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 15.94 births per 1,000 people, 29% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 42.1 births per 1,000 people | 39.72 births per 1,000 people | 42.96 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 35.34 births per 1,000 people | 30.32 births per 1,000 people | 42.07 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 24.76 births per 1,000 people | 20.73 births per 1,000 people | 30.35 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.38 births per 1,000 people | 15.25 births per 1,000 people | 23.14 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.08 births per 1,000 people | 13.07 births per 1,000 people | 16.56 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.02 births per 1,000 people | 9.01 births per 1,000 people | 12.82 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.98 births per 1,000 people | 5.7 births per 1,000 people | 9.28 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.93 births per 1,000 people | 4.57 births per 1,000 people | 5.21 births per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 232 Hong Kong 5.55 births per 1,000 people compare
- 233 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 5.23 births per 1,000 people compare
- 234 Saint Barthelemy 4.82 births per 1,000 people compare
- 236 Vatican 4.21 births per 1,000 people compare
More health data for Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.43 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1935 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 69 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0118 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0124 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rate vs. death rate in Korea?
- Birth rate vs. death rate in Korea was 4.57 births per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rate vs. death rate recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 42.96 births per 1,000 people in 1957.
- What is the lowest birth rate vs. death rate recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.57 births per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Korea rank for birth rate vs. death rate?
- Korea ranks 235th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rate vs. death rate rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 47.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rate vs. death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of live births in a year per 1,000 people in the population.