Germany vs South Korea

Germany and South Korea compared on 152 measures that both have. Each pair of values is for the same period, the latest one with data for both countries, so the year can differ from one row to the next.

Where Germany and South Korea differ most

Measures where one value is the largest multiple of the other, among measures with positive values. Totals such as population, index values and growth rates are left out, because their size says little about the difference.

Population and ageing

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Population estimates and projections
people
84,548,231 people 51,748,739 people +63.4% 2023 UN Population Division
Median age estimates and projections
years
45.1 years 44.5 years +1.5% 2023 UN Population Division
Fertility rate estimates and projections
live births per woman
1.44 births per woman 0.72 births per woman +100.2% 2023 UN Population Division
Population growth estimates and projections
% per year
0.35% -0.04% +0.39 percentage points 2023 UN Population Division
Population
people
83,491,249 people 51,684,564 people +61.5% 2025 World Bank
Population growth
annual % change
-0.03% -0.13% +0.10 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Population aged 65 and over
% of total population
23.7% 20.3% +3.4 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Population aged 0 to 14
% of total population
13.9% 10.2% +3.7 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Fertility rate
births per woman
1.36 births per woman 0.75 births per woman +81.8% 2024 World Bank
Crude birth rate
births per 1,000 people
8.1 per 1,000 people 4.7 per 1,000 people +3.4 per 1,000 people 2024 World Bank
Crude death rate
deaths per 1,000 people
12.1 per 1,000 people 7.0 per 1,000 people +5.1 per 1,000 people 2024 World Bank
Urban population share
% of total population
82.1% 81.2% +1.0 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Adolescent birth rate
births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19
5.2 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 0.5 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 +4.7 per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 2024 World Bank
Age dependency ratio
dependants per 100 people aged 15 to 64
60.2 per 100 working-age people 44.0 per 100 working-age people +16.3 per 100 working-age people 2025 World Bank
Population density
people per square kilometre of land
239.0 people per km² 530.2 people per km² −54.9% 2024 World Bank
Urban population growth
annual % change
0.11% -0.12% +0.23 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Migration and citizenship

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Net migration estimates and projections
per 1,000 people
7.2 per 1,000 people 1.7 per 1,000 people +5.5 per 1,000 people 2023 UN Population Division
Net migration
people
-334,072 people 65,731 people −399,803 people 2025 World Bank
International migrant stock
% of population
19.8% 3.5% +16.3 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Personal remittances received
% of GDP
0.5% 0.4% +0.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Employment and occupations

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
ILO estimate of the unemployment rate
% of the labour force aged 15 and over
3.7% 2.7% +1.0 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
ILO estimate of youth unemployment
% of the labour force aged 15 to 24
6.9% 6.7% +0.2 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Labour force participation
% of working-age population aged 15 and over
60.6% 64.4% −3.8 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Women's labour force participation
% of women aged 15 and over
55.3% 56.8% −1.5 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Employment-to-population ratio
% of population aged 15 and over
58.3% 62.6% −4.3 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
OECD monthly unemployment rate
% of the labour force aged 15 and over, seasonally adjusted
4.1% 2.6% +1.5 percentage points September 2026 OECD
Employment in agriculture
% of total employment
1.1% 5.1% −4.0 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Employment in industry
% of total employment
26.0% 23.4% +2.6 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Employment in services
% of total employment
73.0% 71.5% +1.4 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Economy and productivity

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
GDP in US dollars
current US dollars
US$5.05 trillion US$1.87 trillion +169.8% 2025 World Bank
GDP per capita in US dollars
current US dollars per person
US$60,496 per person US$36,227 per person +67.0% 2025 World Bank
GDP per capita, PPP
constant 2021 international dollars per person
Int$62,824 per person Int$55,697 per person +12.8% 2025 World Bank
GNI per capita, Atlas method
current US dollars per person
US$60,200 per person US$37,880 per person +58.9% 2025 World Bank
Real GDP growth
annual % change
0.2% 1.0% −0.8 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Services share of GDP
% of GDP
64.5% 57.2% +7.2 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Investment share of GDP
% of GDP
21.9% 29.1% −7.2 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Savings share of GDP
% of GDP
26.3% 35.6% −9.3 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Household consumption per person
constant 2015 US dollars per person
US$24,108 per person US$17,853 per person +35.0% 2025 World Bank

Prices and purchasing power

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
OECD monthly CPI inflation
% change on the same month a year earlier
3.3% 2.9% +0.4 percentage points September 2026 OECD
Consumer price inflation
annual % change
2.2% 2.1% 0 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Consumer price index
index, 2010 = 100
137.8 (2010 = 100) 135.0 (2010 = 100) +2.8 points 2025 World Bank
Inflation measured by the GDP deflator
annual % change
3.0% 3.1% −0.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Exchange rate to the US dollar
local currency units per US dollar, annual average
0.885 per US$ 1,422.441 per US$ −99.9% 2025 World Bank

Housing and households

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Slum population
% of urban population
0.0% 4.5% −4.5 percentage points 2022 World Bank

Education and skills

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
ILO estimate of the youth NEET rate
% of youth aged 15 to 24
7.5% 11.0% −3.6 percentage points 2025 ILOSTAT
Primary completion (UIS)
% of children 3 to 5 years above the final primary grade age
98.3% 100.0% −1.7 percentage points 2012 UNESCO UIS
Lower secondary completion
% of young people 3 to 5 years above the final grade age
96.6% 100.0% −3.4 percentage points 2012 UNESCO UIS
Upper secondary completion
% of young people 3 to 5 years above the final grade age
79.8% 97.7% −17.9 percentage points 2016 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school children
% of children of primary school age
0.3%nat_est (National estimate) 0.1%nat_est (National estimate) +0.2 percentage points 2024 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school adolescents
% of adolescents of lower secondary school age
0.4%nat_est (National estimate) 2.9%nat_est (National estimate) −2.5 percentage points 2024 UNESCO UIS
Out-of-school youth
% of youth of upper secondary school age
11.2%nat_est (National estimate) 4.5%nat_est (National estimate) +6.7 percentage points 2024 UNESCO UIS
Primary net enrolment
% of children of primary school age
99.7%nat_est (National estimate) 99.9%nat_est (National estimate) −0.2 percentage points 2024 UNESCO UIS
Education spending
% of GDP
5.2% 5.4% −0.2 percentage points 2022 World Bank
Primary school enrolment (gross)
% of the official primary school-age population
102.6% 100.9% +1.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Tertiary education enrolment (gross)
% of the population in the five years after secondary school age
76.7% 111.9% −35.1 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Primary school completion rate
% of the relevant age group
96.8% 102.9% −6.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Secondary school enrolment (gross)
% of the official secondary school-age population
100.2% 96.3% +4.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Health and healthcare

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Life expectancy estimates and projections
years
81.4 years 84.3 years −3.5% 2023 UN Population Division
Life expectancy at 65, estimates and projections
years
19.8 years 21.3 years −7.0% 2023 UN Population Division
Healthy life expectancy
years
69.1 years 72.0 years −4.0% 2023 WHO
UHC service coverage
index from 0 to 100
87 88 −1 points 2023 WHO
Alcohol consumption
litres of pure alcohol per person aged 15+
10.43 litres 7.59 litres +37.5% 2024 WHO
Adult obesity
% of adults aged 18+
20.6% 8.4% +12.3 percentage points 2024 WHO
Hypertension
% of adults aged 30 to 79
29.7% 26.7% +3.0 percentage points 2019 WHO
Suicide rate
deaths per 100,000 people
10.0 per 100,000 people 23.4 per 100,000 people −13.4 per 100,000 people 2023 WHO
Premature NCD mortality
% probability
11.1% 6.6% +4.5 percentage points 2023 WHO
Physical inactivity
% of adults aged 18+
15.0% 60.7% −45.6 percentage points 2022 WHO
DTP3 immunisation
% of one-year-olds
89% 97% −8.0 percentage points 2025 WHO
Anaemia in women
% of women aged 15 to 49
14.0% 15.7% −1.7 percentage points 2023 WHO
Poisoning deaths
deaths per 100,000 people
0.4 per 100,000 people 0.2 per 100,000 people +0.2 per 100,000 people 2023 WHO
Nurses and midwives
per 10,000 people
124.0 per 10,000 people 94.9 per 10,000 people +29.1 per 10,000 people 2023 WHO
Dentists
per 10,000 people
8.44 per 10,000 people 5.49 per 10,000 people +2.95 per 10,000 people 2023 WHO
Life expectancy at birth
years
80.8 years 83.6 years −3.4% 2024 World Bank
Life expectancy at birth, women
years
83.2 years 86.6 years −3.9% 2024 World Bank
Life expectancy at birth, men
years
78.5 years 80.8 years −2.8% 2024 World Bank
Health spending share of GDP
% of GDP
12.3% 8.7% +3.6 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Under-five mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
3.7 per 1,000 live births 2.8 per 1,000 live births +0.9 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Infant mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
3.1 per 1,000 live births 2.3 per 1,000 live births +0.8 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Maternal mortality ratio
maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
4 per 100,000 live births 4 per 100,000 live births same 2023 World Bank
Physicians
physicians per 1,000 people
4.53 per 1,000 people 2.61 per 1,000 people +1.92 per 1,000 people 2022 World Bank
Hospital beds
beds per 1,000 people
7.6 per 1,000 people 12.8 per 1,000 people −5.2 per 1,000 people 2022 World Bank
Measles immunisation
% of children aged 12 to 23 months
96% 97% −1.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Tobacco use
% of adults aged 15 and over
22.0% 18.6% +3.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Out-of-pocket health spending
% of current health expenditure
10.7% 33.7% −23.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Health spending per person
current US dollars per person
US$6,849 per person US$3,137 per person +118.4% 2024 World Bank
Diabetes prevalence
% of population aged 20 to 79
7.8% 9.6% −1.8 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Neonatal mortality rate
deaths per 1,000 live births
2.3 per 1,000 live births 1.2 per 1,000 live births +1.1 per 1,000 live births 2024 World Bank
Tuberculosis incidence
new cases per 100,000 people
5 per 100,000 people 35 per 100,000 people −30 per 100,000 people 2024 World Bank

Internet and digital society

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Internet users
% of population
93.5% 97.9% −4.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Mobile subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 people
129 per 100 people 173 per 100 people −43 per 100 people 2024 World Bank
Fixed broadband subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 people
45.6 per 100 people 47.8 per 100 people −2.2 per 100 people 2024 World Bank

Business and industry

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Industry share of GDP
% of GDP
25.2% 34.3% −9.2 percentage points 2025 World Bank
New businesses registered
new limited liability companies
74,997 companies 128,455 companies −41.6% 2023 World Bank
Medium and high-tech manufacturing
% of manufacturing value added
61.3% 61.2% +0.1 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Manufacturing share of GDP
% of GDP
17.6% 27.4% −9.8 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Trade and investment

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Exports share of GDP
% of GDP
40.4% 45.8% −5.3 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Imports share of GDP
% of GDP
38.1% 40.6% −2.5 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Trade as a share of GDP
% of GDP
78.5% 86.4% −7.8 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Foreign direct investment inflows
% of GDP
1.9% 0.8% +1.0 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Current account balance
% of GDP
4.4% 6.6% −2.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank
High-technology exports
% of manufactured exports
18.0% 36.3% −18.3 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Transport and mobility

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Road traffic deaths
deaths per 100,000 people
3.8 per 100,000 people 8.6 per 100,000 people −4.8 per 100,000 people 2019 World Bank
Air passengers carried
passengers
80,199,572 passengers 76,272,454 passengers +5.1% 2023 World Bank

Energy and electricity

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Access to electricity
% of population
100.0% 100.0% same 2024 World Bank
Clean cooking access
% of population
100.0% 100.0% same 2024 World Bank
Renewable energy share
% of total final energy consumption
17.6% 3.6% +14.0 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Fossil electricity share
% of total electricity production
40.9% 58.7% −17.8 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Net energy imports
% of energy use
70.3% 83.2% −13.0 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Climate and emissions

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Temperature change
°C difference from the 1951 to 1980 average
2.11 °Ce (Estimated value) 1.90 °Ce (Estimated value) +0.21 °C 2025 FAOSTAT
Agrifood emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person
2.53 t CO2e per persone (Estimated value) 1.70 t CO2e per persone (Estimated value) +48.3% 2024 FAOSTAT
Total greenhouse gas emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
674.4 Mt CO2e 668.2 Mt CO2e +0.9% 2024 World Bank
Greenhouse gas emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 equivalent per person
8.1 t CO2e per person 12.9 t CO2e per person −37.5% 2024 World Bank
CO2 emissions per person
tonnes of CO2 per person
6.94 t CO2 per person 11.36 t CO2 per person −38.9% 2024 World Bank
Methane emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
55.5 Mt CO2e 44.7 Mt CO2e +24.1% 2024 World Bank
Nitrous oxide emissions
million tonnes of CO2 equivalent
30.05 Mt CO2e 13.14 Mt CO2e +128.6% 2024 World Bank

Air quality and ecosystems

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
PM2.5 air pollution
micrograms per cubic metre
8.7 µg/m³ 19.2 µg/m³ −54.7% 2023 WHO
Forest area
% of land area
32.8% 64.4% −31.5 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Protected areas
% of total territorial area
40.0% 5.9% +34.1 percentage points 2025 World Bank
PM2.5 air pollution exposure
micrograms per cubic metre
8.8 µg/m³ 21.9 µg/m³ −59.8% 2023 World Bank
Terrestrial protected areas
% of land area
39.2% 17.7% +21.5 percentage points 2025 World Bank

Water, sanitation and waste

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Basic drinking water access
% of population
100.0% 100.0% same 2024 World Bank
Safely managed drinking water
% of population
99.9% 99.3% +0.6 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Basic sanitation access
% of population
99.2% 99.7% −0.5 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Level of water stress
% of available freshwater resources
35.4% 85.2% −49.9 percentage points 2022 World Bank
Renewable internal freshwater per person
cubic metres per person
1,286 m³ per person 1,255 m³ per person +2.5% 2022 World Bank
Safely managed sanitation
% of population
96.8% 99.3% −2.6 percentage points 2024 World Bank

Agriculture, food and fisheries

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Cost of a healthy diet
international dollars (PPP) per person per day
Int$4.35 per person per daye (Estimated value) Int$7.37 per person per daye (Estimated value) −41.0% 2025 FAOSTAT
Healthy diet unaffordable
% of the population
5.3%e (Estimated value) 5.3%e (Estimated value) same 2025 FAOSTAT
Pesticide use
kg of active ingredients per hectare of cropland
3.81 kg/hae (Estimated value) 13.03 kg/hae (Estimated value) −70.8% 2024 FAOSTAT
Nitrogen fertiliser use
kg of nitrogen (N) per hectare of cropland
75.9 kg/hae (Estimated value) 135.2 kg/hae (Estimated value) −43.9% 2024 FAOSTAT
Agriculture share of GDP
% of GDP
0.9% 1.5% −0.6 percentage points 2025 World Bank
Cereal yield
kilograms per hectare
6,791 kg per hectare 6,544 kg per hectare +3.8% 2024 World Bank
Agricultural land
% of land area
47.4% 16.0% +31.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Capture fisheries production
metric tonnes
186,393 tonnes 1,273,391 tonnes −85.4% 2024 World Bank
Prevalence of undernourishment
% of population
2.5% 2.5% same 2024 World Bank
Food production index
index, 2014 to 2016 = 100
91.6 (2014-16 = 100) 101.4 (2014-16 = 100) −9.6% 2024 World Bank
Fertiliser use
kilograms per hectare of arable land
137.7 kg per hectare 285.6 kg per hectare −51.8% 2024 World Bank
Land area
square kilometres
349,430 km² 97,600 km² +258.0% 2024 World Bank

Poverty and social protection

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Gini index
Gini index, 0 to 100
33.6 (0 to 100) 32.9 (0 to 100) +0.7 points 2021 World Bank
Income share held by the richest 10%
% of total income or consumption
26.3% 25.0% +1.3 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Extreme poverty rate
% of population
0.6% 0.1% +0.5 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Poverty rate at $4.20 a day (2021 PPP)
% of population
0.7% 0.2% +0.5 percentage points 2021 World Bank
Poverty rate at $8.30 a day (2021 PPP)
% of population
1.2% 0.5% +0.7 percentage points 2021 World Bank

Government finance and taxation

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Tax revenue
% of GDP
10.9% 13.3% −2.4 percentage points 2024 World Bank
Central government expense
% of GDP
31.2% 31.3% −0.1 percentage points 2022 World Bank

Science and innovation

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
R&D spending share of GDP
% of GDP
3.12% 5.13% −2.01 percentage points 2024 Eurostat
Researchers as a share of the labour force
% of labour force (full-time equivalent)
0.85% 1.15% −0.30 percentage points 2011 Eurostat
R&D spending share of GDP
% of GDP
3.15% 4.94% −1.79 percentage points 2023 World Bank
Researchers per million people
researchers per million people
5,926 per million people 9,472 per million people −3,546 per million people 2023 World Bank
Scientific and technical journal articles
articles, fractional count
108,782 articles 71,724 articles +51.7% 2023 World Bank

Crime, justice and public safety

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Intentional homicides
victims per 100,000 people
0.9 per 100,000 people 0.5 per 100,000 people +0.4 per 100,000 people 2023 World Bank

Culture, society and wellbeing

MeasureGermanySouth KoreaGermany compared with South KoreaPeriodSource
Women in national parliament
% of seats in the single or lower chamber
32.4% 20.3% +12.0 percentage points 2025 World Bank

The difference column shows Germany compared with South Korea: in percentage points for percentages, in the same unit for rates per population and index values, and in percent for other measures.

Open a measure to see both countries on a chart. All statistics for Germany · All statistics for South Korea · Other pairs