Lesotho has a population density of 199.4 people per square mile compared to 52.5 people in New Zealand. Lesotho has 139,786 sq ft of land per person vs 540,405 sq ft in New Zealand. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Lesotho and New Zealand are ranked 114th and 168th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Lesotho has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.02% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.07% of the population and 0.18% of the land area for New Zealand, hence the population density in Lesotho is 279.7% higher than in New Zealand.
Population density comparison
Lesotho
|
New Zealand
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 199.4 ppl/mi² | 52.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 114/197 | 168/197 |
| Population |
2384217
|
5406623
|
| Land area | 11,722 sq mi | 101,665 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 139,809 sq ft | 530,907 sq ft |
| Rural population | 69.1% | 12.9% |
| Urban population | 30.9% | 87.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 27.5% |
Lesotho vs New Zealand:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Lesotho increased by 18.6%, compared to a 30.6% growth in New Zealand.
In 2004, Lesotho ranked 107th for population density and is in 114th place now. New Zealand was 162nd in 2004 and ranks 168th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Lesotho
|
New Zealand
|
|
| 2024 | 199.4 | 52.5 |
| 2023 | 197.2 | 51.6 |
| 2022 | 195 | 50.3 |
| 2021 | 192.9 | 50.3 |
| 2020 | 190.7 | 50.1 |
| 2019 | 188.5 | 49 |
| 2018 | 186.3 | 48.2 |
| 2017 | 184 | 47.3 |
| 2016 | 181.7 | 46.4 |
| 2015 | 179.5 | 45.3 |
| 2014 | 177.5 | 44.4 |
| 2013 | 175.4 | 43.7 |
| 2012 | 173.5 | 43.4 |
| 2011 | 171.8 | 43.1 |
| 2010 | 170.3 | 42.8 |
| 2009 | 169 | 42.3 |
| 2008 | 167.8 | 41.9 |
| 2007 | 166.6 | 41.5 |
| 2006 | 165.9 | 41.2 |
| 2005 | 166.6 | 40.7 |
| 2004 | 168.2 | 40.2 |
| 2003 | 169.3 | 39.6 |
| 2002 | 170.2 | 38.8 |
| 2001 | 170.7 | 38.2 |
| 2000 | 171 | 37.9 |
| 1999 | 170.9 | 37.7 |
| 1998 | 170.5 | 37.5 |
| 1997 | 169.6 | 37.2 |
| 1996 | 168.3 | 36.7 |
| 1995 | 166.5 | 36.1 |
| 1994 | 164.5 | 35.6 |
| 1993 | 162.2 | 35.1 |
| 1992 | 159.8 | 34.7 |
| 1991 | 157.2 | 34.4 |
| 1990 | 154.4 | 32.8 |
| 1989 | 151.5 | 32.5 |
| 1988 | 148.4 | 32.3 |
| 1987 | 145.3 | 32.2 |
| 1986 | 142.1 | 31.9 |
| 1985 | 138.6 | 31.9 |
| 1984 | 134.7 | 31.7 |
| 1983 | 130.9 | 31.5 |
| 1982 | 127.2 | 31 |
| 1981 | 123.5 | 30.7 |
| 1980 | 120 | 30.6 |
| 1979 | 116.5 | 30.6 |
| 1978 | 113.2 | 30.7 |
| 1977 | 110 | 30.7 |
| 1976 | 106.9 | 30.6 |
| 1975 | 103.5 | 30.3 |
| 1974 | 100 | 29.7 |
| 1973 | 96.6 | 29.1 |
| 1972 | 93.3 | 28.6 |
| 1971 | 90.1 | 28.1 |
| 1970 | 87 | 27.6 |
| 1969 | 83.9 | 27.3 |
| 1968 | 80.9 | 27 |
| 1967 | 78 | 26.8 |
| 1966 | 75.2 | 26.3 |
| 1965 | 72.9 | 25.9 |
| 1964 | 70.8 | 25.4 |
| 1963 | 68.7 | 24.9 |
| 1962 | 66.7 | 24.4 |
| 1961 | 64.7 | 23.8 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Lesotho
|
New Zealand
|
|
| 2024 | 30.9% | 87.1% |
| 2023 | 30.4% | 87% |
| 2022 | 29.9% | 86.9% |
| 2021 | 29.5% | 86.8% |
| 2020 | 29% | 86.7% |
| 2019 | 28.6% | 86.6% |
| 2018 | 28.2% | 86.5% |
| 2017 | 27.7% | 86.5% |
| 2016 | 27.3% | 86.4% |
| 2015 | 26.9% | 86.3% |
| 2014 | 26.5% | 86.3% |
| 2013 | 26.1% | 86.2% |
| 2012 | 25.7% | 86.2% |
| 2011 | 25.3% | 86.1% |
| 2010 | 24.8% | 86.2% |
| 2009 | 24.3% | 86.2% |
| 2008 | 23.8% | 86.3% |
| 2007 | 23.3% | 86.3% |
| 2006 | 22.8% | 86.4% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | 86.3% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | 86.3% |
| 2003 | 21.1% | 86.2% |
| 2002 | 20.6% | 86.2% |
| 2001 | 20.1% | 86.1% |
| 2000 | 19.5% | 86% |
| 1999 | 19% | 85.9% |
| 1998 | 18.5% | 85.9% |
| 1997 | 18% | 85.8% |
| 1996 | 17.6% | 85.7% |
| 1995 | 17% | 85.6% |
| 1994 | 16.3% | 85.4% |
| 1993 | 15.7% | 85.3% |
| 1992 | 15.1% | 85.1% |
| 1991 | 14.5% | 84.9% |
| 1990 | 14% | 84.7% |
| 1989 | 13.4% | 84.5% |
| 1988 | 12.9% | 84.3% |
| 1987 | 12.4% | 84% |
| 1986 | 11.9% | 83.8% |
| 1985 | 11.8% | 83.7% |
| 1984 | 11.7% | 83.6% |
| 1983 | 11.6% | 83.6% |
| 1982 | 11.6% | 83.6% |
| 1981 | 11.5% | 83.5% |
| 1980 | 11.5% | 83.4% |
| 1979 | 11.4% | 83.3% |
| 1978 | 11.3% | 83.2% |
| 1977 | 11.3% | 83.1% |
| 1976 | 11.2% | 83% |
| 1975 | 10.8% | 82.8% |
| 1974 | 10.4% | 82.5% |
| 1973 | 9.91% | 82.1% |
| 1972 | 9.47% | 81.8% |
| 1971 | 9.04% | 81.5% |
| 1970 | 8.61% | 81.1% |
| 1969 | 8.2% | 80.7% |
| 1968 | 7.8% | 80.3% |
| 1967 | 7.42% | 79.9% |
| 1966 | 7.06% | 79.4% |
| 1965 | 6.37% | 78.9% |
| 1964 | 5.66% | 78.3% |
| 1963 | 5.03% | 77.7% |
| 1962 | 4.46% | 77.1% |
| 1961 | 3.96% | 76.5% |
| 1960 | 3.51% | 76% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 21.7% to 30.9% in Lesotho and from 86.3% to 87.1% in New Zealand.
Densely populated cities
|
Lesotho
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Maseru | 344K |
| Teyateyaneng | 75.1K |
| Mafeteng | 57.1K |
|
New Zealand
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Auckland | 1.47M |
| Christchurch | 383K |
| Wellington | 216K |
| Hamilton | 176K |
| Tauranga | 151K |
| Dunedin | 106K |
| Lower Hutt | 103K |
| Palmerston North | 81.5K |
| Napier | 66.3K |
| Porirua | 59.6K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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