Merchandise imports (current US$), per square kilometre in South Korea
South Korea: Merchandise imports (current US$), per square kilometre was 6.58 million current US$ per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
6.58 million current US$ per square kilometre
Change on year
down 12.1%
World rank
17th
of 205 countries
All-time high
7.49 million current US$ per square kilometre
in 2022
All-time low
3,276 current US$ per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Merchandise imports (current US$), per square kilometre in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre in South Korea is 6.58 million current US$ per square kilometre, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 12.1% on the previous year and up 24.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre in South Korea peaked at 7.49 million current US$ per square kilometre in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3,276 current US$ per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places South Korea 17th out of 205 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports (current US$), per square kilometre in South Korea, year by year
| Year | current US$ per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3,276 current US$ per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 4,375 current US$ per square kilometre | +33.5% |
| 1963 | 5,806 current US$ per square kilometre | +32.7% |
| 1964 | 4,188 current US$ per square kilometre | -27.9% |
| 1965 | 4,800 current US$ per square kilometre | +14.6% |
| 1966 | 7,423 current US$ per square kilometre | +54.6% |
| 1967 | 10,326 current US$ per square kilometre | +39.1% |
| 1968 | 15,167 current US$ per square kilometre | +46.9% |
| 1969 | 18,909 current US$ per square kilometre | +24.7% |
| 1970 | 20,568 current US$ per square kilometre | +8.8% |
| 1971 | 24,819 current US$ per square kilometre | +20.7% |
| 1972 | 26,146 current US$ per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1973 | 43,956 current US$ per square kilometre | +68.1% |
| 1974 | 71,035 current US$ per square kilometre | +61.6% |
| 1975 | 75,410 current US$ per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1976 | 90,960 current US$ per square kilometre | +20.6% |
| 1977 | 112,078 current US$ per square kilometre | +23.2% |
| 1978 | 155,215 current US$ per square kilometre | +38.5% |
| 1979 | 210,854 current US$ per square kilometre | +35.8% |
| 1980 | 231,101 current US$ per square kilometre | +9.6% |
| 1981 | 270,900 current US$ per square kilometre | +17.2% |
| 1982 | 251,410 current US$ per square kilometre | -7.2% |
| 1983 | 271,532 current US$ per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 1984 | 317,551 current US$ per square kilometre | +16.9% |
| 1985 | 322,787 current US$ per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1986 | 327,441 current US$ per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 425,254 current US$ per square kilometre | +29.9% |
| 1988 | 537,124 current US$ per square kilometre | +26.3% |
| 1989 | 637,207 current US$ per square kilometre | +18.6% |
| 1990 | 724,072 current US$ per square kilometre | +13.6% |
| 1991 | 845,169 current US$ per square kilometre | +16.7% |
| 1992 | 847,761 current US$ per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 868,754 current US$ per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 1.06 million current US$ per square kilometre | +22.1% |
| 1995 | 1.40 million current US$ per square kilometre | +32.0% |
| 1996 | 1.56 million current US$ per square kilometre | +11.3% |
| 1997 | 1.50 million current US$ per square kilometre | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 967,054 current US$ per square kilometre | -35.5% |
| 1999 | 1.24 million current US$ per square kilometre | +28.4% |
| 2000 | 1.66 million current US$ per square kilometre | +34.0% |
| 2001 | 1.46 million current US$ per square kilometre | -12.3% |
| 2002 | 1.57 million current US$ per square kilometre | +7.8% |
| 2003 | 1.85 million current US$ per square kilometre | +17.5% |
| 2004 | 2.32 million current US$ per square kilometre | +25.5% |
| 2005 | 2.70 million current US$ per square kilometre | +16.3% |
| 2006 | 3.19 million current US$ per square kilometre | +18.4% |
| 2007 | 3.68 million current US$ per square kilometre | +15.3% |
| 2008 | 4.49 million current US$ per square kilometre | +21.9% |
| 2009 | 3.33 million current US$ per square kilometre | -25.8% |
| 2010 | 4.37 million current US$ per square kilometre | +31.4% |
| 2011 | 5.40 million current US$ per square kilometre | +23.3% |
| 2012 | 5.34 million current US$ per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 5.29 million current US$ per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 5.39 million current US$ per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 4.48 million current US$ per square kilometre | -17.0% |
| 2016 | 4.17 million current US$ per square kilometre | -7.0% |
| 2017 | 4.91 million current US$ per square kilometre | +17.8% |
| 2018 | 5.49 million current US$ per square kilometre | +11.8% |
| 2019 | 5.16 million current US$ per square kilometre | -6.0% |
| 2020 | 4.79 million current US$ per square kilometre | -7.1% |
| 2021 | 6.30 million current US$ per square kilometre | +31.5% |
| 2022 | 7.49 million current US$ per square kilometre | +18.9% |
| 2023 | 6.58 million current US$ per square kilometre | -12.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 6.58 million current US$ per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.71 million current US$ per square kilometre, 3.9× the median. (77 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 6.58 million current US$ per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 426,087 current US$ per square kilometre, 15.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8,252 current US$ per square kilometre | 3,276 current US$ per square kilometre | 18,909 current US$ per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 83,104 current US$ per square kilometre | 20,568 current US$ per square kilometre | 210,854 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 359,231 current US$ per square kilometre | 231,101 current US$ per square kilometre | 637,207 current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.10 million current US$ per square kilometre | 724,072 current US$ per square kilometre | 1.56 million current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.62 million current US$ per square kilometre | 1.46 million current US$ per square kilometre | 4.49 million current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.00 million current US$ per square kilometre | 4.17 million current US$ per square kilometre | 5.49 million current US$ per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.29 million current US$ per square kilometre | 4.79 million current US$ per square kilometre | 7.49 million current US$ per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 14 Aruba 7.79 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 15 Cayman Islands 7.63 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 16 United Arab Emirates 6.63 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 18 Barbados 4.94 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 19 Israel 4.25 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
- 20 Andorra 4.24 million current US$ per square kilometre compare
More private sector data for South Korea
- Merchandise trade 71.6% (2025)
- Food imports 6.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 60.1% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 631.89 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.6% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 87.3% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 709.33 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 13,724 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3788 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 3.76 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre in South Korea?
- Merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre in South Korea was 6.58 million current US$ per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 7.49 million current US$ per square kilometre in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,276 current US$ per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Korea rank for merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre?
- South Korea ranks 17th out of 205 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports (current us$), per square kilometre rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Merchandise imports (current US$), per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Merchandise imports (current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Merchandise imports (current US$) ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Merchandise imports World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Merchandise imports (current US$) divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.