| Ranking | Israel | South Korea | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Countries spending the most on research as a share of GDP2026-11-02 | #1 · 6.35 % of GDP | #3 · 4.94 % of GDP | Israel by 2 |
| Countries with the highest primary school completion rates2026-11-02 | #2 · 100 % | #5 · 100 % | Israel by 3 |
| Countries with the highest groundnut yields2026-11-02 | #3 · 5.63 tonnes per hectare | #30 · 2.5 tonnes per hectare | Israel by 27 |
| Countries with the highest healthy life expectancy at birth2026-11-02 | #10 · 70.76 years | #3 · 72.45 years | South Korea by 7 |
| Countries with the highest life expectancy at birth2026-11-02 | #16 · 81.74 years | #3 · 83.8 years | South Korea by 13 |
| Countries with the largest military share of population2026-11-02 | #3 · 1.87 % | #9 · 1.07 % | Israel by 6 |
| Countries with the highest share of adults with tertiary education2026-11-02 | #13 · 36.5 % | #3 · 58.3 % | South Korea by 10 |
| Countries with the highest sorghum yields2026-11-02 | #3 · 14.27 tonnes per hectare | #49 · 1.8 tonnes per hectare | Israel by 46 |
| Countries producing the most potash fertilizer2026-11-02 | #4 · 2,366.01 thousand tonnes | #17 · 142.7 thousand tonnes | Israel by 13 |
| Countries with the longest life expectancy2026-11-02 | #29 · 82.41 years | #5 · 84.33 years | South Korea by 24 |
| Countries generating the most coal electricity per person2026-11-02 | #42 · 294.2 kWh per person | #5 · 3,765.07 kWh per person | South Korea by 37 |
| Countries with the largest reserves relative to monthly imports2026-11-02 | #5 · 15.83 months of imports | #40 · 6.25 months of imports | Israel by 35 |
| Countries using the most coal energy per person2026-11-02 | #35 · 2,192.6 kWh per person | #6 · 15.4k kWh per person | South Korea by 29 |
| Countries with the most students reaching minimum reading level (lower sec.)2026-11-02 | #37 · 70.36 % | #6 · 85.32 % | South Korea by 31 |
| Countries with the most students reaching minimum maths level (lower sec.)2026-11-02 | #39 · 62.75 % | #6 · 83.78 % | South Korea by 33 |
| Countries generating the most electricity from fossil fuels2026-11-02 | #36 · 68.2 TWh | #7 · 375.06 TWh | South Korea by 29 |
| Countries with the highest government procurement spending2026-11-02 | #7 · 17.18 % of GDP | #23 · 13.87 % of GDP | Israel by 16 |
| Countries consuming the most coal2026-11-02 | #42 · 20.87 TWh | #8 · 793.18 TWh | South Korea by 34 |
| Countries with the highest consumption-based CO2 emissions2026-11-02 | #44 · 88.32 million tonnes | #8 · 708.86 million tonnes | South Korea by 36 |
| Countries generating the most electricity2026-11-02 | #44 · 82.1 TWh | #8 · 624.66 TWh | South Korea by 36 |
| Countries generating the most electricity from coal2026-11-02 | #47 · 2.8 TWh | #8 · 194.53 TWh | South Korea by 39 |
| Countries with the highest CO₂ emissions from coal2026-10-29 | #45 · 10.06 million tonnes | #8 · 247.47 million tonnes | South Korea by 37 |
| Countries with the largest share of global CO2 from coal2026-11-02 | #45 · 0.06 % of global total | #8 · 1.57 % of global total | South Korea by 37 |
| Countries with the highest manufactured share of exports2026-11-02 | #9 · 86.6 % of merchandise exports | #8 · 87.29 % of merchandise exports | South Korea by 1 |
| Countries with the highest share of people using safely managed sanitation2026-11-02 | #16 · 97.17 % | #8 · 99.33 % | South Korea by 8 |
| Countries with the most electric car sales2026-11-02 | #24 · 90 thousand cars | #9 · 217 thousand cars | South Korea by 15 |
| Countries with the most electric cars on the road2026-11-02 | #25 · 310 thousand cars | #9 · 834 thousand cars | South Korea by 16 |
| Countries with the most military personnel2026-11-02 | #28 · 170 thousand people | #9 · 555 thousand people | South Korea by 19 |
| Countries with the highest CO2 emissions from coal per person2026-11-02 | #39 · 1.07 tonnes per person | #9 · 4.78 tonnes per person | South Korea by 30 |
| Countries with the most installed solar power capacity2026-11-02 | #28 · 7.36 GW | #10 · 34.04 GW | South Korea by 18 |
| Countries using the most fossil fuel energy per person2026-11-02 | #24 · 28.5k kWh per person | #10 · 56.7k kWh per person | South Korea by 14 |
| Countries applying the most potash fertilizer per hectare2026-11-02 | #10 · 89.5 kilograms per hectare | #16 · 61.23 kilograms per hectare | Israel by 6 |
| Countries with the largest stock market value relative to GDP2026-11-02 | #26 · 61.02 % of GDP | #10 · 147.23 % of GDP | South Korea by 16 |
| Countries with the highest military spending2026-11-02 | #13 · 43.66 billion US dollars | #11 · 48.85 billion US dollars | South Korea by 2 |
| Countries with the highest pre-primary school enrolment2026-11-02 | #11 · 98.44 % | #22 · 95.6 % | Israel by 11 |
| Countries with the highest freshwater withdrawals2026-11-02 | #12 · 119.58 % of internal resources | #21 · 85.22 % of internal resources | Israel by 9 |
| Countries with the highest median daily income2026-11-02 | #27 · 31.66 international-$ per day (2011 prices) | #12 · 49.8 international-$ per day (2011 prices) | South Korea by 15 |
| Countries with the highest CO₂ emissions from natural gas2026-10-30 | #50 · 20.42 million tonnes | #12 · 129.31 million tonnes | South Korea by 38 |
| Countries with the highest military share of government spending2026-11-02 | #12 · 17.83 % | #27 · 10.79 % | Israel by 15 |
| Countries with the highest CO2 emissions from cement per person2026-11-02 | #38 · 0.2 tonnes per person | #12 · 0.4 tonnes per person | South Korea by 26 |
| Countries with the largest share of global CO2 from gas2026-11-02 | #50 · 0.25 % of global total | #12 · 1.61 % of global total | South Korea by 38 |
| Countries with the highest beef yield per animal2026-11-02 | #26 · 301 kilograms per animal | #13 · 332 kilograms per animal | South Korea by 13 |
| Countries with the highest meat consumption per person2026-11-02 | #13 · 297.89 grams per day | #38 · 230.14 grams per day | Israel by 25 |
| Countries using the most nitrogen fertilizer per hectare of cropland2026-11-02 | #43 · 78.69 kg per hectare | #13 · 139.82 kg per hectare | South Korea by 30 |
| Countries with the highest meat supply per person2026-11-02 | #13 · 108.73 kg per person per year | #38 · 84 kg per person per year | Israel by 25 |
| Countries emitting the most CO2 from transport2026-11-02 | #44 · 18.36 million tonnes | #15 · 105.46 million tonnes | South Korea by 29 |
| Countries with the highest consumption-based CO2 per person2026-11-02 | #23 · 9.54 tonnes per person | #15 · 13.7 tonnes per person | South Korea by 8 |
| Countries with the largest cumulative CO2 emissions from coal2026-11-02 | #45 · 836.7 million tonnes | #16 · 9,141.67 million tonnes | South Korea by 29 |
| Countries with the oldest liberal democracies2026-10-29 | #17 · 57 years | #40 · 1 years | Israel by 23 |
| Countries using the most pesticides per hectare of cropland2026-11-02 | #17 · 17.09 kg per hectare | #25 · 13.49 kg per hectare | Israel by 8 |
| Countries with the highest plug-in hybrid share of car sales2026-11-02 | #17 · 8.17 % | #49 · 0.86 % | Israel by 32 |
| Countries with the highest share of adults with post-secondary education2026-11-02 | #19 · 49.5 % | #17 · 49.56 % | South Korea by 2 |
| Countries generating the most fossil fuel electricity per person2026-11-02 | #19 · 7,165.99 kWh per person | #18 · 7,259.17 kWh per person | South Korea by 1 |
| Countries with the largest share of global services exports2026-11-02 | #23 · 1.17 % | #18 · 1.77 % | South Korea by 5 |
| Countries generating the most electricity from solar and wind2026-11-02 | #34 · 13.74 TWh | #19 · 41.44 TWh | South Korea by 15 |
| Countries with the highest fossil CO2 emissions per person2026-11-02 | #50 · 6.63 tonnes of CO2-equivalents per person | #19 · 12.01 tonnes of CO2-equivalents per person | South Korea by 31 |
| Countries with the highest respiratory infection death rates2026-11-02 | #33 · 35.78 per 100,000 people | #19 · 46.54 per 100,000 people | South Korea by 14 |
| Countries with the highest foreign investment outflows2026-11-02 | #21 · 2.37 % of GDP | #23 · 2.2 % of GDP | Israel by 2 |
| Countries with the highest pneumococcal vaccination coverage in children2026-11-02 | #50 · 94 % | #22 · 97 % | South Korea by 28 |
| Countries with the highest CO2 emissions from gas per person2026-11-02 | #25 · 2.18 tonnes per person | #22 · 2.5 tonnes per person | South Korea by 3 |
| Countries with the highest electric car sales share2026-11-02 | #23 · 21 % | #40 · 11 % | Israel by 17 |
| Countries with the highest polio vaccine coverage2026-11-02 | #23 · 98 % | #44 · 97 % | Israel by 21 |
| Countries with the highest rubella vaccination coverage2026-11-02 | #24 · 98 % | #38 · 97 % | Israel by 14 |
| Countries with the highest measles vaccination coverage in children2026-11-02 | #24 · 98 % | #39 · 97 % | Israel by 15 |
| Countries with the highest share of people owning a mobile phone2026-11-02 | #38 · 97 % | #24 · 97.9 % | South Korea by 14 |
| Countries with the highest share of people using improved water sources2026-11-02 | #25 · 100 % | #44 · 100 % | Israel by 19 |
| Countries with the highest CO2 emissions from transport per person2026-11-02 | #28 · 1,983.51 tonnes per person | #26 · 2,037.92 tonnes per person | South Korea by 2 |
| Countries using the most cereals for animal feed2026-11-02 | #27 · 62.74 % | #43 · 58.75 % | Israel by 16 |
| Countries with the highest DTP3 vaccination coverage in children2026-11-02 | #27 · 98 % | #38 · 97 % | Israel by 11 |
| Countries with the highest share of people using safely managed drinking water2026-11-02 | #28 · 99.46 % | #30 · 99.28 % | Israel by 2 |
| Countries with the highest pancreatic cancer death rates2026-11-02 | #28 · 7.15 per 100,000 people | #40 · 6.73 per 100,000 people | Israel by 12 |
| Countries generating the most plastic waste2026-11-02 | #49 · 826.44 thousand tonnes | #29 · 2,025.77 thousand tonnes | South Korea by 20 |
| Countries producing the most chicken meat2026-11-02 | #36 · 600.07 thousand tonnes | #30 · 935 thousand tonnes | South Korea by 6 |
| Countries with the highest death rates from Alzheimer's and dementias2026-11-02 | #31 · 42.48 per 100,000 people | #49 · 24.95 per 100,000 people | Israel by 18 |
| Countries with the highest GDP per person employed2026-11-02 | #32 · 104.7k international dollars | #36 · 99.0k international dollars | Israel by 4 |
| Countries with the highest taxes as a share of cigarette price2026-11-02 | #33 · 76.64 % | #48 · 73.85 % | Israel by 15 |
| Countries with the highest hepatitis B vaccine coverage in infants2026-11-02 | #45 · 96 % | #35 · 97 % | South Korea by 10 |
| Countries with the most immigrants2026-11-02 | #36 · 2,091.57 thousand people | #41 · 1,811.51 thousand people | Israel by 5 |
| Countries with the highest share of births outside marriage2026-11-02 | #38 · 8.6 % | #39 · 4.72 % | Israel by 1 |
| Countries with the highest tomato yields2026-11-02 | #42 · 66.62 tonnes per hectare | #45 · 62.62 tonnes per hectare | Israel by 3 |
History
Rank history in Countries spending the most on research as a share of GDP
History appears once this ranking has at least two published snapshots.
Head to head
Israel vs South Korea, explained
Israel vs South Korea, head to head across 80 shared rankings. Israel ranks higher in 33, South Korea ranks higher in 47. On that count South Korea comes out ahead overall, though each ranking measures something different, so the detail below matters more than the tally.
Ranking by ranking: in Countries spending the most on research as a share of GDP, Israel is #1 with 6.35 % of GDP and South Korea is #3 with 4.94 % of GDP (Israel ahead by 2); in Countries with the highest primary school completion rates, Israel is #2 with 100 % and South Korea is #5 with 100 % (Israel ahead by 3); in Countries with the highest groundnut yields, Israel is #3 with 5.63 tonnes per hectare and South Korea is #30 with 2.5 tonnes per hectare (Israel ahead by 27); in Countries with the highest healthy life expectancy at birth, Israel is #10 with 70.76 years and South Korea is #3 with 72.45 years (South Korea ahead by 7); in Countries with the highest life expectancy at birth, Israel is #16 with 81.74 years and South Korea is #3 with 83.8 years (South Korea ahead by 13); in Countries with the largest military share of population, Israel is #3 with 1.87 % and South Korea is #9 with 1.07 % (Israel ahead by 6).
Within each ranking both entries are measured by the same metric from the same source at the same time, which makes every row a like-for-like comparison. Across rankings the metrics differ, so a lead in one does not cancel out a deficit in another. The rank history chart tracks both entries through every published snapshot of the first shared ranking.
Dates shown next to each ranking are the capture dates of the snapshots used, so you always know how current a comparison is. Each entry also has a profile page listing every ranking it appears in, and each ranking has a quiz if you want to test whether you could have named the top 10.
Top10Earth never estimates or edits a value: each number is fetched from its source, hashed, stored and ranked by software, then checked by a quality gate before it is published. If a refresh fails the gate, the previous snapshot stays live and the problem is reviewed by a person.
Frequently asked questions
- Who ranks higher, Israel or South Korea?
- South Korea ranks higher in more shared rankings (47 of 80). In Countries spending the most on research as a share of GDP, Israel is #1 and South Korea is #3.
- In how many rankings do Israel and South Korea both appear?
- 80 current rankings.
- How current is this comparison?
- The newest shared snapshot was captured on 2026-11-02.