Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in South Korea
South Korea: Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre was 859.55 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in South Korea, 1980–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 859.55 units per square kilometre for mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.0% on the previous year and up 53.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in South Korea peaked at 859.55 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0 units per square kilometre, in 1980.
That places South Korea 12th out of 212 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.
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in South Korea, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1981 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1982 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1983 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1986 | 0.0735 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1987 | 0.1063 units per square kilometre | +44.6% |
| 1988 | 0.211 units per square kilometre | +98.5% |
| 1989 | 0.4118 units per square kilometre | +95.1% |
| 1990 | 0.8294 units per square kilometre | +101.4% |
| 1991 | 1.72 units per square kilometre | +107.6% |
| 1992 | 2.82 units per square kilometre | +63.7% |
| 1993 | 4.89 units per square kilometre | +73.5% |
| 1994 | 9.95 units per square kilometre | +103.5% |
| 1995 | 17.02 units per square kilometre | +70.9% |
| 1996 | 32.98 units per square kilometre | +93.8% |
| 1997 | 71.31 units per square kilometre | +116.2% |
| 1998 | 145.33 units per square kilometre | +103.8% |
| 1999 | 243.03 units per square kilometre | +67.2% |
| 2000 | 278 units per square kilometre | +14.4% |
| 2001 | 300.24 units per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 2002 | 334.15 units per square kilometre | +11.3% |
| 2003 | 347.02 units per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 377.88 units per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 2005 | 395.89 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 414.92 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 457.79 units per square kilometre | +10.3% |
| 2008 | 470.22 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 493.96 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 522.3 units per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 540.25 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 551.07 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 561.25 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 588.02 units per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 604.8 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 628.74 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 652.84 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 680.43 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 705.87 units per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 722.48 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 746.47 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2022 | 788.85 units per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2023 | 859.55 units per square kilometre | +9.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 859.55 units per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 156.89 units per square kilometre, 5.5× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 859.55 units per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 100.38 units per square kilometre, 8.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +116.2% | 32.98 units per square kilometre | 71.31 units per square kilometre |
| 1991 | +107.6% | 0.8294 units per square kilometre | 1.72 units per square kilometre |
| 1998 | +103.8% | 71.31 units per square kilometre | 145.33 units per square kilometre |
| 1994 | +103.5% | 4.89 units per square kilometre | 9.95 units per square kilometre |
| 1990 | +101.4% | 0.4118 units per square kilometre | 0.8294 units per square kilometre |
| 1988 | +98.5% | 0.1063 units per square kilometre | 0.211 units per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.1003 units per square kilometre | 0 units per square kilometre | 0.4118 units per square kilometre | 8 |
| 1990s | 52.99 units per square kilometre | 0.8294 units per square kilometre | 243.03 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 387.01 units per square kilometre | 278 units per square kilometre | 493.96 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 603.56 units per square kilometre | 522.3 units per square kilometre | 705.87 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 779.34 units per square kilometre | 722.48 units per square kilometre | 859.55 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 9 Bangladesh 1,468 units per square kilometre compare
- 10 Bermuda 1,262 units per square kilometre compare
- 11 Mauritius 1,054 units per square kilometre compare
- 13 Aruba 782.31 units per square kilometre compare
- 14 Barbados 752.28 units per square kilometre compare
- 15 Palestine 688.53 units per square kilometre compare
More science & technology data for South Korea
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 172.52 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.72 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 89.22 million (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 6.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 6.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 71,724 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0014 units per person (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in South Korea?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in South Korea was 859.55 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 859.55 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 units per square kilometre in 1980.
- How does South Korea rank for mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre?
- South Korea ranks 12th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.1%. 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 Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country 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.
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Mobile phone subscriptions International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- 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
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country 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.