Nauru has a population density of 1,568 people per square mile compared to 52.8 people in New Zealand. Nauru has 18,920 sq ft of land per person vs 545,618 sq ft in New Zealand. Nauru and New Zealand rank 12th and 169th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Nauru has 0.0001% of the world's population and 0.00001% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.07% of the population and 0.18% of the land area for New Zealand, making the population density in Nauru 2,871% higher than in New Zealand.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Nauru
|
New Zealand
|
|
| 2026 | 1,568 | 52.8 |
| 2025 | 1,558 | 52.4 |
| 2024 | 1,547 | 52 |
| 2023 | 1,538 | 51.1 |
| 2022 | 1,528 | 50 |
| 2021 | 1,516 | 50 |
| 2020 | 1,508 | 49.9 |
| 2019 | 1,501 | 48.9 |
| 2018 | 1,486 | 48.2 |
| 2017 | 1,466 | 47.3 |
| 2016 | 1,444 | 46.4 |
| 2015 | 1,419 | 45.3 |
| 2014 | 1,391 | 44.4 |
| 2013 | 1,362 | 43.7 |
| 2012 | 1,330 | 43.4 |
| 2011 | 1,308 | 43.1 |
| 2010 | 1,301 | 42.8 |
| 2009 | 1,297 | 42.3 |
| 2008 | 1,296 | 41.9 |
| 2007 | 1,298 | 41.5 |
| 2006 | 1,299 | 41.2 |
| 2005 | 1,301 | 40.7 |
| 2004 | 1,303 | 40.2 |
| 2003 | 1,303 | 39.6 |
| 2002 | 1,306 | 38.8 |
| 2001 | 1,312 | 38.2 |
| 2000 | 1,317 | 37.9 |
| 1999 | 1,319 | 37.7 |
| 1998 | 1,321 | 37.5 |
| 1997 | 1,321 | 37.2 |
| 1996 | 1,319 | 36.7 |
| 1995 | 1,316 | 36.1 |
| 1994 | 1,313 | 35.6 |
| 1993 | 1,308 | 35.1 |
| 1992 | 1,298 | 34.7 |
| 1991 | 1,276 | 34.4 |
| 1990 | 1,246 | 32.8 |
| 1989 | 1,216 | 32.5 |
| 1988 | 1,187 | 32.3 |
| 1987 | 1,159 | 32.2 |
| 1986 | 1,132 | 31.9 |
| 1985 | 1,107 | 31.9 |
| 1984 | 1,085 | 31.7 |
| 1983 | 1,064 | 31.5 |
| 1982 | 1,041 | 31 |
| 1981 | 1,015 | 30.7 |
| 1980 | 991 | 30.6 |
| 1979 | 967 | 30.6 |
| 1978 | 945 | 30.7 |
| 1977 | 928 | 30.7 |
| 1976 | 915 | 30.6 |
| 1975 | 905 | 30.3 |
| 1974 | 897 | 29.7 |
| 1973 | 889 | 29.1 |
| 1972 | 882 | 28.6 |
| 1971 | 876 | 28.1 |
| 1970 | 869 | 27.6 |
| 1969 | 852 | 27.3 |
| 1968 | 819 | 27 |
| 1967 | 794 | 26.8 |
| 1966 | 783 | 26.3 |
| 1965 | 755 | 25.9 |
| 1964 | 714 | 25.4 |
| 1963 | 677 | 24.9 |
| 1962 | 645 | 24.4 |
| 1961 | 618 | 23.8 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/nauru/new-zealand | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Nauru increased by 20.6%, compared to a 28.2% growth in New Zealand.
In 2006, Nauru ranked 13th by population density and is 12th now. New Zealand was 166th in 2006 and ranks 169th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Nauru
|
New Zealand
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,568 ppl/mi² | 52.8 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 12/197 | 169/197 |
| Population |
12125
|
5374272
|
| Land area | 7.72 sq mi | 101,665 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 18,019 sq ft | 536,027 sq ft |
| Rural population | 0% | 16.1% |
| Urban population | 100% | 83.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 27.4% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nauru
|
New Zealand
|
|
| 2024 | 100% | 83.9% |
| 2023 | 100% | 83.9% |
| 2022 | 100% | 83.9% |
| 2021 | 100% | 83.8% |
| 2020 | 100% | 83.8% |
| 2019 | 100% | 83.8% |
| 2018 | 100% | 83.8% |
| 2017 | 100% | 84.2% |
| 2016 | 100% | 84.7% |
| 2015 | 100% | 85.2% |
| 2014 | 100% | 85.5% |
| 2013 | 100% | 85.7% |
| 2012 | 100% | 85.8% |
| 2011 | 100% | 85.8% |
| 2010 | 100% | 85.9% |
| 2009 | 100% | 85.9% |
| 2008 | 100% | 85.9% |
| 2007 | 100% | 85.9% |
| 2006 | 100% | 85.9% |
| 2005 | 100% | 85.9% |
| 2004 | 100% | 85.9% |
| 2003 | 100% | 85.9% |
| 2002 | 100% | 85.8% |
| 2001 | 100% | 85.8% |
| 2000 | 100% | 85.7% |
| 1999 | 100% | 85.7% |
| 1998 | 100% | 85.6% |
| 1997 | 100% | 85.5% |
| 1996 | 100% | 85.5% |
| 1995 | 100% | 85.4% |
| 1994 | 100% | 85.3% |
| 1993 | 100% | 85.2% |
| 1992 | 100% | 85.1% |
| 1991 | 100% | 85% |
| 1990 | 100% | 84.8% |
| 1989 | 100% | 84.6% |
| 1988 | 100% | 84.3% |
| 1987 | 100% | 84.1% |
| 1986 | 100% | 83.9% |
| 1985 | 100% | 83.8% |
| 1984 | 100% | 83.7% |
| 1983 | 100% | 83.6% |
| 1982 | 100% | 83.6% |
| 1981 | 100% | 83.5% |
| 1980 | 100% | 83.4% |
| 1979 | 100% | 83.3% |
| 1978 | 100% | 83.2% |
| 1977 | 100% | 83.1% |
| 1976 | 100% | 82.9% |
| 1975 | 100% | 82.7% |
| 1974 | 100% | 82.5% |
| 1973 | 100% | 82.3% |
| 1972 | 100% | 81.9% |
| 1971 | 100% | 81.5% |
| 1970 | 100% | 80.4% |
| 1969 | 100% | 77.9% |
| 1968 | 100% | 74.6% |
| 1967 | 100% | 71.3% |
| 1966 | 100% | 68.8% |
| 1965 | 100% | 67.4% |
| 1964 | 100% | 66.5% |
| 1963 | 100% | 65.7% |
| 1962 | 100% | 64.9% |
| 1961 | 100% | 63.9% |
| 1960 | 100% | 62.4% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/nauru/new-zealand | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 100% to 100% in Nauru and from 85.9% to 83.9% in New Zealand.
Densely populated cities
|
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 |
| Hibiscus Coast | 59.8K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/nauru/new-zealand | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2016–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.