New Zealand has a population density of 52.5 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. New Zealand has 540,405 sq ft of land per person vs 49,190 sq ft in Switzerland. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, New Zealand and Switzerland are ranked 168th and 51st, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, hence the population density in New Zealand is 91.1% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
New Zealand
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 52.5 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 168/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
5406623
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 101,665 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 530,907 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 12.9% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 87.1% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 27.5% | 0% |
New Zealand vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in New Zealand increased by 30.6%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, New Zealand ranked 162nd for population density and is in 168th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
New Zealand
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 52.5 | 592 |
| 2023 | 51.6 | 583 |
| 2022 | 50.3 | 575 |
| 2021 | 50.3 | 571 |
| 2020 | 50.1 | 566 |
| 2019 | 49 | 562 |
| 2018 | 48.2 | 558 |
| 2017 | 47.3 | 554 |
| 2016 | 46.4 | 549 |
| 2015 | 45.3 | 543 |
| 2014 | 44.4 | 537 |
| 2013 | 43.7 | 530 |
| 2012 | 43.4 | 524 |
| 2011 | 43.1 | 519 |
| 2010 | 42.8 | 513 |
| 2009 | 42.3 | 508 |
| 2008 | 41.9 | 501 |
| 2007 | 41.5 | 495 |
| 2006 | 41.2 | 491 |
| 2005 | 40.7 | 487 |
| 2004 | 40.2 | 484 |
| 2003 | 39.6 | 481 |
| 2002 | 38.8 | 477 |
| 2001 | 38.2 | 474 |
| 2000 | 37.9 | 471 |
| 1999 | 37.7 | 468 |
| 1998 | 37.5 | 466 |
| 1997 | 37.2 | 464 |
| 1996 | 36.7 | 463 |
| 1995 | 36.1 | 461 |
| 1994 | 35.6 | 458 |
| 1993 | 35.1 | 455 |
| 1992 | 34.7 | 450 |
| 1991 | 34.4 | 446 |
| 1990 | 32.8 | 440 |
| 1989 | 32.5 | 436 |
| 1988 | 32.3 | 432 |
| 1987 | 32.2 | 429 |
| 1986 | 31.9 | 426 |
| 1985 | 31.9 | 424 |
| 1984 | 31.7 | 422 |
| 1983 | 31.5 | 421 |
| 1982 | 31 | 419 |
| 1981 | 30.7 | 416 |
| 1980 | 30.6 | 414 |
| 1979 | 30.6 | 412 |
| 1978 | 30.7 | 412 |
| 1977 | 30.7 | 412 |
| 1976 | 30.6 | 413 |
| 1975 | 30.3 | 415 |
| 1974 | 29.7 | 416 |
| 1973 | 29.1 | 413 |
| 1972 | 28.6 | 410 |
| 1971 | 28.1 | 407 |
| 1970 | 27.6 | 405 |
| 1969 | 27.3 | 402 |
| 1968 | 27 | 398 |
| 1967 | 26.8 | 393 |
| 1966 | 26.3 | 388 |
| 1965 | 25.9 | 384 |
| 1964 | 25.4 | 379 |
| 1963 | 24.9 | 373 |
| 1962 | 24.4 | 365 |
| 1961 | 23.8 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
New Zealand
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 87.1% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 87% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 86.9% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 86.8% | 74% |
| 2020 | 86.7% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 86.6% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 86.5% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 86.5% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 86.4% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 86.3% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 86.3% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 86.2% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 86.2% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 86.1% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 86.2% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 86.2% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 86.3% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 86.3% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 86.4% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 86.3% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 86.3% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 86.2% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 86.2% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 86.1% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 86% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 85.9% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 85.9% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 85.8% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 85.7% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 85.6% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 85.4% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 85.3% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 85.1% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 84.9% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 84.7% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 84.5% | 74% |
| 1988 | 84.3% | 74% |
| 1987 | 84% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 83.8% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 83.7% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 83.6% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 83.6% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 83.6% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 83.5% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 83.4% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 83.3% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 83.2% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 83.1% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 83% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 82.8% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 82.5% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 82.1% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 81.8% | 74% |
| 1971 | 81.5% | 74% |
| 1970 | 81.1% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 80.7% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 80.3% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 79.9% | 73% |
| 1966 | 79.4% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 78.9% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 78.3% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 77.7% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 77.1% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 76.5% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 76% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 86.3% to 87.1% in New Zealand and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
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 |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 207K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 144K |
| Winterthur | 119K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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