What is fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea?

Fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea was 0.72 live births per woman in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in South Korea?

The highest recorded value was 6.18 live births per woman in 1957.

What is the lowest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in South Korea?

The lowest recorded value was 0.72 live births per woman in 2023.

How does South Korea rank for fertility rate: births per woman?

South Korea ranks 234th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.

Is fertility rate: births per woman rising or falling in South Korea?

Over the last ten years it is down 40.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this South Korea data come from?

The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate: births per woman. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea

Name: Fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea
Creator: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Korea: Fertility rate: births per woman was 0.72 live births per woman in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)

0.72 live births per woman

Change on year

down 7.7%

World rank

234th

of 236 countries

All-time high

6.18 live births per woman

in 1957

All-time low

0.72 live births per woman

in 2023

Years of data

1950–2023

Fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea, 1950–2023

Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in live births per woman.

Analysis

South Korea recorded 0.72 live births per woman for fertility rate: births per woman in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.

That represents a change of down 7.7% on the previous year and down 40.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea peaked at 6.18 live births per woman in 1957 and was at its lowest, 0.72 live births per woman, in 2023.

That places South Korea 234th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1950s	6.14 live births per woman	6.06 live births per woman	6.18 live births per woman	10
1960s	5.1 live births per woman	4.45 live births per woman	5.99 live births per woman	10
1970s	3.49 live births per woman	2.7 live births per woman	4.46 live births per woman	10
1980s	1.98 live births per woman	1.56 live births per woman	2.73 live births per woman	10
1990s	1.62 live births per woman	1.47 live births per woman	1.74 live births per woman	10
2000s	1.22 live births per woman	1.11 live births per woman	1.47 live births per woman	10
2010s	1.14 live births per woman	0.881 live births per woman	1.27 live births per woman	10
2020s	0.7738 live births per woman	0.72 live births per woman	0.812 live births per woman	4

Countries ranked near South Korea

231 Puerto Rico 0.941 live births per woman compare
232 Taiwan 0.87 live births per woman compare
233 Saint Barthelemy 0.801 live births per woman compare
235 Hong Kong 0.717 live births per woman compare
236 Macao 0.662 live births per woman compare

See the full ranking of 236 places →

More reference data data for South Korea

Number of child deaths per woman 0.004 under-five deaths per woman (2024)
Fertility rate vs. Human Development Index 0.72 live births per woman (2023)
Fertility rate: births per woman 0.72 live births per woman (2023)
Human Development Index 0.937 (2023)
Rule of Law - Governance estimate 1.12 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
Rule of Law - Governance score 76.2 0-100 (2024)
Voice and Accountability - Governance score 70.99 0-100 (2024)
Voice and Accountability - Governance estimate 0.8078 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)
Political Stability - Governance score 76.82 0-100 (2024)
Political Stability - Governance estimate 0.6393 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 (2024)

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea?: Fertility rate: births per woman in South Korea was 0.72 live births per woman in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in South Korea?: The highest recorded value was 6.18 live births per woman in 1957.
What is the lowest fertility rate: births per woman recorded in South Korea?: The lowest recorded value was 0.72 live births per woman in 2023.
How does South Korea rank for fertility rate: births per woman?: South Korea ranks 234th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
Is fertility rate: births per woman rising or falling in South Korea?: Over the last ten years it is down 40.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Korea data come from?: The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Fertility rate: births per woman. 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

Indicator: Fertility rate: births per woman
Unit: live births per woman
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 236 places, 17,464 data points, 1950–2023
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

The total fertility rate: the average number of children a woman would have if she experienced the year's age-specific birth rates throughout her childbearing years.