Japan and South Korea are two developed countries in East Asia. The following is a comparison between these two countries. Let’s read.
Japan and South Korea – country comparison
Which country is larger in area, Japan or South Korea?
Japan is a larger country. It is more than 3.7 times larger than South Korea.
- Area of Japan – approximately 378,000 sq km
- Area of South Korea – approximately 100,350 sq km
Which country has a larger population, Japan or South Korea?
Japan has a larger population as compared with South Korea. However, South Korea is more densely populated.
- Population of Japan – 122.6 million (2024 estimate)
- Population of South Korea – 51.7 million (2024 estimate)
Economy
| 2023 (IMF) | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| Currency | Japanese Yen | South Korean won |
| GDP (nominal) | $4.22 trillion | $1.84 trillion |
| GDP per capita | $33.9 thousand | $35.56 thousand |
| GDP (PPP) | $6.4 trillion | $3.11 trillion |
Life
| Japan | South Korea | |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (UN/2023) | 84.71 | 84.33 |
| Human Development Index rank (2022) | 24th | 19th |
| Human Development Index value | 0.920 | 0.929 |
Top 3 largest cities by population
| Rank | Japan | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tokyo | Seoul |
| 2 | Yokohama | Busan |
| 3 | Osaka | Incheon |
Japan and South Korea comparison table
| Japan | South Korea (Republic of Korea) | |
|---|---|---|
| Area | approximately 378,000 sq km | approximately 100,350 sq km |
| Population | 122.6 million (2024 estimate) | 51.7 million (2024 estimate) |
| Region | East Asia | East Asia |
| Capital city | Tokyo | Seoul |
| Largest city | Tokyo | Seoul |
| Largest Metropolitan area | Greater Tokyo Area | Seoul Capital Area |
| Highest mountain | Mount Fuji (3,776 m) | Hallasan (1,947 m) |
| Major Rivers | Shinano River, Tone River, Ishikari River, Teshio River, etc | Nakdong River, Geum River, Yeongsan River, Han River, etc |
| Number of Islands | over 14,000 | over 3,300 |
| Largest Island | Honshu Island | Jeju Island |
| Forest cover (2022) | 68.4% | 64.2% |
| Most popular sport | Baseball | Baseball and football (soccer) |
| Type of government | Parliamentary Government with a Constitutional Monarchy | Unitary presidential constitutional republic |
| Most spoken language | Japanese | Korean |
| Busiest Airport | Haneda Airport, Tokyo | Incheon International Airport |
| Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites | 26 | 16 |
| National Tree | Cherry blossom | Korean red pine |
| National Bird | Green pheasant | Korean magpie |
| National Animal | – | Tiger |
(Also read: 10 interesting facts about Japan)
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