> South Korea had 3.9 million cattle in 2024, the 60th largest in the world (0.25% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 22%.

Source: https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/south-korea/

[Home](https://husfarm.com/)›[Production](https://husfarm.com/production/)›[Cattle](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/)›South KoreaFAOSTAT · 1961–2024

# Cattle in South Korea

South Korea had 3.9 million cattle in 2024, the 60th largest in the world (0.25% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 22%. The record was 4.1 million head in 2022.

[Today’s prices](https://husfarm.com/today-price/beef/)

Animals, 20243.9 million head
World rank60 of 190
10-year change+22%
Record4.1 million head2022

## Cattle in South Korea, 1961–2024 (head)

## South Korea compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total0.25%0.22% in 2014
10-year change+22%world +9.7%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 58 | [Belarus](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/belarus/) | 4,097,900 | 0.26% |
| 59 | [Japan](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/japan/) | 3,985,000 | 0.25% |
| 60 | **South Korea** | 3,889,278 | 0.25% |
| 61 | [Senegal](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/senegal/) | 3,714,834 | 0.24% |
| 62 | [Netherlands](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/netherlands/) | 3,562,000 | 0.23% |

[Full ranking of 190 countries](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/)

### Map of cattle numbers by country

under 0.1%0.1–1%1–5%5–15%15% or moreno data
Share of the world total; South Korea is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.

## By year

| Year | Head | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024 | 3,889,278 | −3.6% |
| 2023 | 4,035,076 | −2.0% |
| 2022 | 4,116,407 | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 3,990,257 | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 3,804,976 | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 3,645,190 | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 3,520,886 | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 3,428,330 | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 3,381,287 | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 3,337,309 | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 3,189,951 | −4.6% |
| 2013 | 3,342,131 | −3.9% |
| 2012 | 3,478,714 | +3.7% |
| 2011 | 3,353,353 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 3,351,391 | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 3,079,353 | +7.1% |
| 2008 | 2,876,143 | +8.4% |
| 2007 | 2,653,976 | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 2,483,572 | +8.1% |
| 2005 | 2,297,414 | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 2,162,965 | +8.2% |
| 2003 | 1,998,936 | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 1,953,815 | −0.0% |
| 2001 | 1,954,025 | −8.4% |
| 2000 | 2,133,728 | −14% |
| 1999 | 2,486,495 | −15% |
| 1998 | 2,922,046 | −11% |
| 1997 | 3,279,849 | −3.4% |
| 1996 | 3,395,028 | +7.9% |
| 1995 | 3,147,494 | +6.9% |
| 1994 | 2,944,699 | +4.7% |
| 1993 | 2,813,815 | +11% |
| 1992 | 2,527,195 | +11% |
| 1991 | 2,268,729 | +6.7% |
| 1990 | 2,125,601 | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 2,051,238 | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 2,039,191 | −15% |
| 1987 | 2,386,451 | −15% |
| 1986 | 2,807,344 | −4.6% |
| 1985 | 2,943,584 | +11% |
| 1984 | 2,652,000 | +20% |
| 1983 | 2,215,000 | +26% |
| 1982 | 1,753,892 | +16% |
| 1981 | 1,505,930 | −7.8% |
| 1980 | 1,634,051 | −7.3% |
| 1979 | 1,762,079 | −1.4% |
| 1978 | 1,787,158 | +10% |
| 1977 | 1,617,733 | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 1,553,226 | −5.4% |
| 1975 | 1,641,353 | −12% |
| 1974 | 1,858,355 | +20% |
| 1973 | 1,545,576 | +12% |
| 1972 | 1,374,349 | +7.4% |
| 1971 | 1,279,935 | −1.3% |
| 1970 | 1,296,673 | +5.8% |
| 1969 | 1,225,103 | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 1,210,518 | −3.6% |
| 1967 | 1,255,140 | −3.3% |
| 1966 | 1,297,305 | −1.8% |
| 1965 | 1,320,904 | −2.6% |
| 1964 | 1,356,790 | −0.8% |
| 1963 | 1,367,823 | +8.9% |
| 1962 | 1,255,817 | +14% |
| 1961 | 1,097,223 | — |

## Questions and answers

### How many cattle are there in South Korea?

South Korea had 3.9 million cattle in 2024, 0.25% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.

### Where does South Korea rank in the world by number of cattle?

South Korea ranked 60th of 190 countries in 2024. The largest herd was in Brazil with 15.1% of the world total.

### How has the number of cattle in South Korea changed?

It rose by 22% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +9.7% for the world. The record was 4.1 million head in 2022.

### Where does this data come from?

From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.

## Other large producers

[Brazil](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/brazil/)[India](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/india/)[United States](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/united-states/)[Ethiopia](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/ethiopia/)[China](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/china/)[Pakistan](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/pakistan/)[Argentina](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/argentina/)[Chad](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/chad/)[Tanzania](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/tanzania/)[Mexico](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/mexico/)[Sudan](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/sudan/)[Australia](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/australia/)
[All countries producing cattle](https://husfarm.com/production/cattle/)

## Other products of South Korea

[Rice (paddy)](https://husfarm.com/production/rice/south-korea/)[Other vegetables, fresh n.e.c.](https://husfarm.com/production/other-vegetables/south-korea/)[Cabbages](https://husfarm.com/production/cabbages/south-korea/)[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/south-korea/)[Beer](https://husfarm.com/production/beer/south-korea/)[Skim milk of cows](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-of-cows/south-korea/)[Pork (pig meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/pork/south-korea/)[Onions, dry](https://husfarm.com/production/onions/south-korea/)[Chicken meat](https://husfarm.com/production/chicken-meat/south-korea/)[Hen eggs](https://husfarm.com/production/hen-eggs/south-korea/)[Tangerines and mandarins](https://husfarm.com/production/tangerines-mandarins/south-korea/)[Potatoes](https://husfarm.com/production/potatoes/south-korea/)
[Agricultural production in South Korea](https://husfarm.com/production/country/south-korea/)

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. [fao.org/faostat](https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL). Licence: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.

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