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Population density: New Zealand vs Singapore compared

Updated on by Georank team

New Zealand has a population density of 52.8 people per square mile compared to 22,064 people in Singapore. New Zealand has 545,618 sq ft of land per person vs 1,282 sq ft in Singapore. New Zealand and Singapore rank 169th and 2nd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. New Zealand has 0.07% of the world's population and 0.18% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.07% of the population and 0.0005% of the land area for Singapore, making the population density in New Zealand 99.8% lower than in Singapore.

Population density by year

New Zealand
Singapore

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
New Zealand Singapore
2026 52.8 22,064
2025 52.4 21,926
2024 52 21,776
2023 51.1 21,346
2022 50 20,334
2021 50 19,672
2020 49.9 20,510
2019 48.9 20,632
2018 48.2 20,454
2017 47.3 20,415
2016 46.4 20,483
2015 45.3 20,219
2014 44.4 19,981
2013 43.7 19,779
2012 43.4 19,489
2011 43.1 19,071
2010 42.8 18,730
2009 42.3 18,454
2008 41.9 17,906
2007 41.5 17,100
2006 41.2 16,426
2005 40.7 16,035
2004 40.2 15,663
2003 39.6 15,513
2002 38.8 16,023
2001 38.2 15,996
2000 37.9 15,570
1999 37.7 15,303
1998 37.5 15,181
1997 37.2 14,674
1996 36.7 14,190
1995 36.1 13,625
1994 35.6 13,217
1993 35.1 12,809
1992 34.7 12,489
1991 34.4 12,119
1990 32.8 11,779
1989 32.5 11,330
1988 32.3 11,002
1987 32.2 10,726
1986 31.9 10,566
1985 31.9 10,576
1984 31.7 10,562
1983 31.5 10,364
1982 31 10,230
1981 30.7 9,791
1980 30.6 9,331
1979 30.6 9,214
1978 30.7 9,098
1977 30.7 8,989
1976 30.6 8,865
1975 30.3 8,746
1974 29.7 8,620
1973 29.1 8,477
1972 28.6 8,320
1971 28.1 8,168
1970 27.6 8,019
1969 27.3 7,896
1968 27 7,778
1967 26.8 7,645
1966 26.3 7,478
1965 25.9 7,294
1964 25.4 7,119
1963 24.9 6,939
1962 24.4 6,766
1961 23.8 6,581

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/new-zealand/singapore | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in New Zealand increased by 28.2%, compared to a 34.3% growth in Singapore.

In 2006, New Zealand ranked 166th by population density and is 169th now. Singapore was 2nd in 2006 and still ranks 2nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

New Zealand
Singapore
1x
Year Urban population
New Zealand Singapore
2024 83.9% 100%
2023 83.9% 100%
2022 83.9% 100%
2021 83.8% 100%
2020 83.8% 100%
2019 83.8% 100%
2018 83.8% 100%
2017 84.2% 100%
2016 84.7% 100%
2015 85.2% 100%
2014 85.5% 100%
2013 85.7% 100%
2012 85.8% 100%
2011 85.8% 100%
2010 85.9% 100%
2009 85.9% 100%
2008 85.9% 100%
2007 85.9% 100%
2006 85.9% 100%
2005 85.9% 100%
2004 85.9% 100%
2003 85.9% 100%
2002 85.8% 100%
2001 85.8% 100%
2000 85.7% 100%
1999 85.7% 100%
1998 85.6% 100%
1997 85.5% 100%
1996 85.5% 100%
1995 85.4% 100%
1994 85.3% 100%
1993 85.2% 100%
1992 85.1% 100%
1991 85% 100%
1990 84.8% 100%
1989 84.6% 100%
1988 84.3% 100%
1987 84.1% 100%
1986 83.9% 100%
1985 83.8% 100%
1984 83.7% 100%
1983 83.6% 100%
1982 83.6% 100%
1981 83.5% 100%
1980 83.4% 100%
1979 83.3% 100%
1978 83.2% 100%
1977 83.1% 100%
1976 82.9% 100%
1975 82.7% 100%
1974 82.5% 100%
1973 82.3% 100%
1972 81.9% 100%
1971 81.5% 100%
1970 80.4% 100%
1969 77.9% 100%
1968 74.6% 100%
1967 71.3% 100%
1966 68.8% 100%
1965 67.4% 100%
1964 66.5% 100%
1963 65.7% 100%
1962 64.9% 100%
1961 63.9% 100%
1960 62.4% 100%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/new-zealand/singapore | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 85.9% to 83.9% in New Zealand and from 100% to 100% in Singapore.

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
Singapore
City Population
Singapore 5.87M
Bukit Merah 152K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/new-zealand/singapore | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2016–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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