Republic of Korea vs China, Taiwan Province of China: population pyramids in 1979
Republic of KoreaChina, Taiwan Province of China
Each bar is the share of the total population at that single year of age (men left, women right), so countries of different sizes can be compared.
Republic of Korea and China, Taiwan Province of China compared
In 1979, the Republic of Korea has a population of 37.5 million and China, Taiwan Province of China 17.6 million; the Republic of Korea is about 2.1 times the size of China, Taiwan Province of China.
The share aged 65 and over is 3.7% in the Republic of Korea and 3.6% in China, Taiwan Province of China, almost the same. The median age is 21.2 years in the Republic of Korea and 22.0 years in China, Taiwan Province of China.
The total fertility rate is 2.75 in the Republic of Korea and 2.64 in China, Taiwan Province of China, both above the replacement level of about 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 66.1 years in the Republic of Korea and 71.7 years in China, Taiwan Province of China.
By 2050, the population of the Republic of Korea is projected to grow by 20.8% and that of China, Taiwan Province of China to grow by 11.1% compared with 1979.
Key figures (1979)
| Republic of Korea | China, Taiwan Province of China | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 37.5 million | 17.6 million |
| Aged 0–14 | 35.1% | 33.6% |
| Aged 15–64 | 61.1% | 62.7% |
| Aged 65+ | 3.7% | 3.6% |
| Median age | 21.2 yrs | 22.0 yrs |
| Old-age dependency | 6.1 | 5.8 |
| Total fertility rate | 2.75 | 2.64 |
| Life expectancy | 66.1 yrs | 71.7 yrs |
| Population growth | +1.15% | +2.06% |
| Net migration (per year) | -139,566 | +15,056 |
| GDP | $1.87T (2025) | — |
| GDP per person | $36K (2025) | — |
| Unemployment | 2.7% (2025) | — |
Economic figures are the latest year published for each country.