Population:
48,636,068 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
[see also: Population country ranks ]

Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.8% (male 4,278,581/female 3,887,516)
[see also: Age structure - 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-64 years: 72.3% (male 17,897,053/female 17,196,840)
[see also: Age structure - 15-64 years country ranks ]
65 years and over: 10.8% (male 2,104,589/female 3,144,393) (2010 est.)
[see also: Age structure - 65 years and over country ranks ]

Median age:
total: 37.9 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male: 36.5 years
[see also: Median age - male country ranks ]
female: 39.1 years (2010 est.)
[see also: Median age - female country ranks ]

Population growth rate:
0.258% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]

Birth rate:
8.72 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]

Death rate:
6.15 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]

Urbanization:
urban population: 81% of total population (2008)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
[see also: Urbanization - rate of urbanization country ranks ]

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - under 15 years country ranks ]
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 15-64 years country ranks ]
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 65 years and over country ranks ]
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
[see also: Sex ratio - total population country ranks ]

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.24 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 200
[see also: Infant mortality rate - total country ranks ]
male: 4.46 deaths/1,000 live births
[see also: Infant mortality rate - male country ranks ]
female: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
[see also: Infant mortality rate - female country ranks ]

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.81 years
country comparison to the world: 42
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - total population country ranks ]
male: 75.56 years
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - male country ranks ]
female: 82.28 years (2010 est.)
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - female country ranks ]

Total fertility rate:
1.22 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 220
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
[see also: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
[see also: HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
[see also: HIV/AIDS - deaths country ranks ]

Nationality:
noun: Korean(s)
adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:
homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions:
Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)

Languages:
Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.9%
[see also: Literacy - total population country ranks ]
male: 99.2%
[see also: Literacy - male country ranks ]
female: 96.6% (2002)
[see also: Literacy - female country ranks ]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 17 years
male: 18 years
female: 16 years (2008)

Education expenditures:
4.2% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 100
[see also: Education expenditures country ranks ]