New Zealand has a population density of 52.8 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. New Zealand has 545,618 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. New Zealand and Switzerland rank 169th and 51st 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 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, making the population density in New Zealand 91.2% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
New Zealand
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 52.8 | 596 |
| 2025 | 52.4 | 594 |
| 2024 | 52 | 590 |
| 2023 | 51.1 | 583 |
| 2022 | 50 | 575 |
| 2021 | 50 | 571 |
| 2020 | 49.9 | 566 |
| 2019 | 48.9 | 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 |
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/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in New Zealand increased by 28.2%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, New Zealand ranked 166th by population density and is 169th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
New Zealand
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 52.8 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 169/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
5374272
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 101,665 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 536,027 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 16.1% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 83.9% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 27.4% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
New Zealand
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 83.9% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 83.9% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 83.9% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 83.8% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 83.8% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 83.8% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 83.8% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 84.2% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 84.7% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 85.2% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 85.5% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 85.7% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 85.8% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 85.8% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 85.9% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 85.9% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 85.9% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 85.9% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 85.9% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 85.9% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 85.9% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 85.9% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 85.8% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 85.8% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 85.7% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 85.7% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 85.6% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 85.5% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 85.5% | 72% |
| 1995 | 85.4% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 85.3% | 71% |
| 1993 | 85.2% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 85.1% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 85% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 84.8% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 84.6% | 68% |
| 1988 | 84.3% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 84.1% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 83.9% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 83.8% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 83.7% | 64% |
| 1983 | 83.6% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 83.6% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 83.5% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 83.4% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 83.3% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 83.2% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 83.1% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 82.9% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 82.7% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 82.5% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 82.3% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 81.9% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 81.5% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 80.4% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 77.9% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 74.6% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 71.3% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 68.8% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 67.4% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 66.5% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 65.7% | 53% |
| 1962 | 64.9% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 63.9% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 62.4% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/new-zealand/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 85.9% to 83.9% in New Zealand and from 73.5% to 85.5% 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 |
| Hibiscus Coast | 59.8K |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 209K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 145K |
| Winterthur | 110K |
| Lucerne | 86.2K |
| St. Gallen | 78.9K |
| Lugano | 63.5K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
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/new-zealand/switzerland | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2016–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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