New Zealand has a population density of 52.5 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. New Zealand has 540,405 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, New Zealand ranked 168th out of 197.
New Zealand has 0.07% of the world's population and 0.18% of all countries' land area.
Population density in New Zealand compared to the World's average
New Zealand
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 52.5 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 168/197 | N/A |
| Population |
5406623
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 101,665 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 530,907 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 12.9% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 87.1% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 27.5% | 28.6% |
New Zealand population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in New Zealand has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 30.6%. The population density rank was 162nd 21 years ago and is 168th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 52.5 | 168 |
| 2023 | 51.6 | 168 |
| 2022 | 50.3 | 168 |
| 2021 | 50.3 | 167 |
| 2020 | 50.1 | 168 |
| 2019 | 49 | 168 |
| 2018 | 48.2 | 168 |
| 2017 | 47.3 | 168 |
| 2016 | 46.4 | 169 |
| 2015 | 45.3 | 170 |
| 2014 | 44.4 | 170 |
| 2013 | 43.7 | 170 |
| 2012 | 43.4 | 170 |
| 2011 | 43.1 | 168 |
| 2010 | 42.8 | 167 |
| 2009 | 42.3 | 167 |
| 2008 | 41.9 | 166 |
| 2007 | 41.5 | 166 |
| 2006 | 41.2 | 166 |
| 2005 | 40.7 | 163 |
| 2004 | 40.2 | 162 |
| 2003 | 39.6 | 162 |
| 2002 | 38.8 | 162 |
| 2001 | 38.2 | 161 |
| 2000 | 37.9 | 161 |
| 1999 | 37.7 | 158 |
| 1998 | 37.5 | 157 |
| 1997 | 37.2 | 156 |
| 1996 | 36.7 | 155 |
| 1995 | 36.1 | 155 |
| 1994 | 35.6 | 156 |
| 1993 | 35.1 | 155 |
| 1992 | 34.7 | 151 |
| 1991 | 34.4 | 135 |
| 1990 | 32.8 | 133 |
| 1989 | 32.5 | 132 |
| 1988 | 32.3 | 132 |
| 1987 | 32.2 | 132 |
| 1986 | 31.9 | 132 |
| 1985 | 31.9 | 132 |
| 1984 | 31.7 | 132 |
| 1983 | 31.5 | 132 |
| 1982 | 31 | 131 |
| 1981 | 30.7 | 131 |
| 1980 | 30.6 | 130 |
| 1979 | 30.6 | 130 |
| 1978 | 30.7 | 129 |
| 1977 | 30.7 | 128 |
| 1976 | 30.6 | 128 |
| 1975 | 30.3 | 128 |
| 1974 | 29.7 | 128 |
| 1973 | 29.1 | 128 |
| 1972 | 28.6 | 129 |
| 1971 | 28.1 | 127 |
| 1970 | 27.6 | 126 |
| 1969 | 27.3 | 127 |
| 1968 | 27 | 127 |
| 1967 | 26.8 | 127 |
| 1966 | 26.3 | 127 |
| 1965 | 25.9 | 127 |
| 1964 | 25.4 | 125 |
| 1963 | 24.9 | 125 |
| 1962 | 24.4 | 125 |
| 1961 | 23.8 | 125 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in New Zealand from 1960 to 2024: 76% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 86% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 87.1%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 87.1% | 30 |
| 2023 | 87% | 30 |
| 2022 | 86.9% | 30 |
| 2021 | 86.8% | 30 |
| 2020 | 86.7% | 29 |
| 2019 | 86.6% | 29 |
| 2018 | 86.5% | 28 |
| 2017 | 86.5% | 27 |
| 2016 | 86.4% | 27 |
| 2015 | 86.3% | 27 |
| 2014 | 86.3% | 26 |
| 2013 | 86.2% | 26 |
| 2012 | 86.2% | 26 |
| 2011 | 86.1% | 25 |
| 2010 | 86.2% | 24 |
| 2009 | 86.2% | 24 |
| 2008 | 86.3% | 23 |
| 2007 | 86.3% | 22 |
| 2006 | 86.4% | 22 |
| 2005 | 86.3% | 21 |
| 2004 | 86.3% | 20 |
| 2003 | 86.2% | 20 |
| 2002 | 86.2% | 20 |
| 2001 | 86.1% | 20 |
| 2000 | 86% | 19 |
| 1999 | 85.9% | 18 |
| 1998 | 85.9% | 18 |
| 1997 | 85.8% | 18 |
| 1996 | 85.7% | 18 |
| 1995 | 85.6% | 18 |
| 1994 | 85.4% | 18 |
| 1993 | 85.3% | 18 |
| 1992 | 85.1% | 18 |
| 1991 | 84.9% | 17 |
| 1990 | 84.7% | 18 |
| 1989 | 84.5% | 18 |
| 1988 | 84.3% | 18 |
| 1987 | 84% | 18 |
| 1986 | 83.8% | 18 |
| 1985 | 83.7% | 18 |
| 1984 | 83.6% | 18 |
| 1983 | 83.6% | 18 |
| 1982 | 83.6% | 18 |
| 1981 | 83.5% | 16 |
| 1980 | 83.4% | 16 |
| 1979 | 83.3% | 16 |
| 1978 | 83.2% | 15 |
| 1977 | 83.1% | 15 |
| 1976 | 83% | 15 |
| 1975 | 82.8% | 15 |
| 1974 | 82.5% | 16 |
| 1973 | 82.1% | 16 |
| 1972 | 81.8% | 16 |
| 1971 | 81.5% | 16 |
| 1970 | 81.1% | 14 |
| 1969 | 80.7% | 14 |
| 1968 | 80.3% | 14 |
| 1967 | 79.9% | 14 |
| 1966 | 79.4% | 14 |
| 1965 | 78.9% | 14 |
| 1964 | 78.3% | 14 |
| 1963 | 77.7% | 14 |
| 1962 | 77.1% | 14 |
| 1961 | 76.5% | 14 |
| 1960 | 76% | 14 |
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 |
| Porirua | 59.6K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
New Zealand topic pages:
Population density comparisons
