Place comparison
South Korea compared with Taiwan: area, population and density
South Korea is larger than Taiwan in both land area and population, while its national average population density is lower.
Equal-area outline comparison
Outlines are centered and scaled by official land area; position does not show geographic location.
Area
Population
Population density
Area data date
Population data date
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The guide below belongs to this pair: South Korea and Taiwan. Change the selector above and the page follows, so the reading always matches the tool.
Direct answer
How different are South Korea and Taiwan?
South Korea covers 100,459.9 km² (38,788 sq mi); South Korea's area is 2.78 times Taiwan's. Its reported population is 51,805,547; South Korea's population is 2.22 times Taiwan's. By average density, South Korea's population density is about 80.1% of Taiwan's.
Population difference
South Korea's population is 2.22 times Taiwan's 51,805,547 · 23,299,132Density difference
South Korea's population density is about 80.1% of Taiwan's 515.7 /km² (1,336 /sq mi) · 643.7 /km² (1,667 /sq mi)Full data and sources for each place: South Korea area & population, Taiwan area & population
Straight-line distance between geometric centres: about 1578 km; time difference: 1 hour.
On a familiar scale
- South Korea ≈ the size of Virginia (reference rung) 1,939 m² of land per resident
- Taiwan ≈ 1.44 × Maryland (reference rung) 1,554 m² of land per resident
Reference scales come from U.S. Census Bureau: 2025 Gazetteer Files: land area of states and counties , as of 2025-01-01.
How to read it
South Korea is larger than Taiwan in both land and population, but land area grows by the larger multiple. This comparison uses the whole country, not Seoul or the Seoul Capital Area.
Geography and shape
South Korea occupies the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and includes offshore islands; Taiwan is centred on a mountainous main island. Both have rugged interiors that channel much of their settlement toward plains and coastal metropolitan areas.
Population context
South Korea has more people than Taiwan, but its land area is larger by a greater factor. Its national average density is consequently lower. Seoul’s urban intensity should not be substituted for the average of the whole country.
Boundaries and definitions
The Korean figure covers the Republic of Korea as a whole and uses a register-based census that includes Korean and foreign residents. Taiwan uses registered population. Dates and population systems differ slightly, so the comparison is best read as a scale comparison.
South Korea: Register-based census population, including Korean and foreign residents; registered cadastral land area.
Taiwan: Registered population and official administrative land area.
In-depth guide
How should South Korea and Taiwan be understood in context?
South Korea is larger than Taiwan in both land and population, but the land difference is proportionally greater. The result helps separate the scale of the whole country from the much denser image many visitors form in Seoul.
Country scale is different from capital-region scale
Seoul and its surrounding capital region dominate many international impressions of South Korea. This page uses the entire Republic of Korea, including every province, metropolitan city and island within the statistical boundary. Taiwan is also treated as a complete administrative territory.
A country-wide outline shows that the peninsula provides substantially more land than Taiwan. A city map of Seoul would answer a different question and should be compared with a Taiwanese city or metropolitan area under compatible definitions.
Mountainous countries can still have different averages
Both places have rugged interiors and strong coastal or plain-based settlement patterns. That shared geography may make their urban corridors feel comparable. However, South Korea has more total land per reported resident, so its national average density is lower in this dataset.
Average density cannot reveal how sharply people are concentrated in the Seoul region or Taiwan’s western corridor. It should be read as a baseline before moving to subnational comparisons, not as a description of an average street.
Population definitions need a visible footnote
South Korea’s figure comes from a register-based census that includes Korean and foreign residents. Taiwan’s figure is registered population. Both are official administrative measures, yet they do not count residents through exactly the same system.
The difference is small enough for a broad scale comparison but important when quoting an exact ratio. Atlas therefore displays the source date and scope instead of presenting the calculated multiple as timeless fact.
Questions people ask
About this geographic comparison
Which is bigger, South Korea or Taiwan?
South Korea is bigger, with a land area about 2.78× that of Taiwan (South Korea 100,459.9 vs Taiwan 36,197.3 km², or 38,788 sq mi vs 13,976 sq mi).
How big is South Korea compared to Taiwan?
South Korea has 100,459.9 km² (38,788 sq mi) and Taiwan has 36,197.3 km² (13,976 sq mi): the ratio is 2.78×. Conversely, Taiwan has 36% of South Korea's area.
Does South Korea or Taiwan have more people?
South Korea has 51,805,547 people (2024-11-01), versus 23,299,132 in Taiwan (2025-12-31): 2.22×. In reverse, Taiwan has 45% of South Korea's population. South Korea is 2.78× the size of Taiwan — 100,459.9 km² vs 36,197.3 km² (38,788 sq mi vs 13,976 sq mi). Population is 2.22× higher; average density is 80.1% as high. Each side’s scope and reference date are set out under “Boundaries and definitions” on this page.
Is South Korea bigger than Taiwan?
Yes. South Korea is bigger, with a land area about 2.78× that of Taiwan (South Korea 100,459.9 vs Taiwan 36,197.3 km², or 38,788 sq mi vs 13,976 sq mi). The area difference is 64,262.6 km². South Korea has 100,459.9 km² (38,788 sq mi) and Taiwan has 36,197.3 km² (13,976 sq mi): the ratio is 2.78×. Conversely, Taiwan has 36% of South Korea's area.
How many times does Taiwan fit into South Korea?
By land area, Taiwan fits into South Korea about 2.78 times (100,459.9 km² vs 36,197.3 km², or 38,788 sq mi vs 13,976 sq mi). It is an area ratio, not a jigsaw fit: coastlines and shapes differ, which the outlines on this page show at one scale.
Is South Korea larger than Taiwan?
Yes in both land area and population. South Korea is 2.78× the size of Taiwan — 100,459.9 km² vs 36,197.3 km² (38,788 sq mi vs 13,976 sq mi).
Does this compare Taiwan with Seoul?
No. It compares Taiwan with all of South Korea, including every province and metropolitan city, rather than Seoul or the Seoul Capital Area.
Do the two population figures use the same definition?
Not exactly. South Korea’s register-based census includes Korean and foreign residents, while Taiwan reports registered population. The scope notes and source dates are displayed with the comparison.
Sources
- Statistics Korea: 2024 Population and Housing Census (Register-based Census)
- e-Nara Index, Republic of Korea: National land area by administrative region (year-end 2024)
- Ministry of the Interior, Taiwan: Land area, households and population by region
Outline data:
- Natural Earth · Public domain