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Population density: New Zealand vs Vietnam compared

Updated on by Georank team

New Zealand has a population density of 52.8 people per square mile compared to 845 people in Vietnam. New Zealand has 545,618 sq ft of land per person vs 35,354 sq ft in Vietnam. New Zealand and Vietnam rank 169th and 30th 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 1.24% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Vietnam, making the population density in New Zealand 93.8% lower than in Vietnam.

Population density by year

New Zealand
Vietnam

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
New Zealand Vietnam
2026 52.8 845
2025 52.4 840
2024 52 835
2023 51.1 829
2022 50 824
2021 50 818
2020 49.9 810
2019 48.9 803
2018 48.2 795
2017 47.3 787
2016 46.4 777
2015 45.3 767
2014 44.4 758
2013 43.7 749
2012 43.4 740
2011 43.1 731
2010 42.8 723
2009 42.3 716
2008 41.9 705
2007 41.5 693
2006 41.2 680
2005 40.7 671
2004 40.2 671
2003 39.6 665
2002 38.8 657
2001 38.2 649
2000 37.9 642
1999 37.7 607
1998 37.5 599
1997 37.2 591
1996 36.7 582
1995 36.1 573
1994 35.6 564
1993 35.1 554
1992 34.7 543
1991 34.4 532
1990 32.8 521
1989 32.5 510
1988 32.3 500
1987 32.2 490
1986 31.9 480
1985 31.9 470
1984 31.7 459
1983 31.5 448
1982 31 438
1981 30.7 428
1980 30.6 418
1979 30.6 409
1978 30.7 400
1977 30.7 390
1976 30.6 379
1975 30.3 370
1974 29.7 361
1973 29.1 353
1972 28.6 346
1971 28.1 338
1970 27.6 330
1969 27.3 323
1968 27 316
1967 26.8 309
1966 26.3 303
1965 25.9 295.4
1964 25.4 288.1
1963 24.9 280.5
1962 24.4 272.8
1961 23.8 265.8

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/new-zealand/vietnam | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in New Zealand increased by 28.2%, compared to a 24.1% growth in Vietnam.

In 2006, New Zealand ranked 166th by population density and is 169th now. Vietnam was 33rd in 2006 and ranks 30th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

New Zealand
Vietnam
1x
Year Urban population
New Zealand Vietnam
2024 83.9% 38.5%
2023 83.9% 38.1%
2022 83.9% 37.5%
2021 83.8% 36.7%
2020 83.8% 35.6%
2019 83.8% 34.6%
2018 83.8% 33.9%
2017 84.2% 33.4%
2016 84.7% 32.8%
2015 85.2% 32.4%
2014 85.5% 31.9%
2013 85.7% 31.5%
2012 85.8% 31.1%
2011 85.8% 30.7%
2010 85.9% 30.3%
2009 85.9% 29.8%
2008 85.9% 29.2%
2007 85.9% 28.6%
2006 85.9% 28%
2005 85.9% 27.4%
2004 85.9% 26.8%
2003 85.9% 26.2%
2002 85.8% 25.6%
2001 85.8% 24.9%
2000 85.7% 24.4%
1999 85.7% 23.8%
1998 85.6% 23.3%
1997 85.5% 22.7%
1996 85.5% 22.1%
1995 85.4% 21.5%
1994 85.3% 20.9%
1993 85.2% 20.3%
1992 85.1% 19.8%
1991 85% 19.4%
1990 84.8% 19.2%
1989 84.6% 19.1%
1988 84.3% 19%
1987 84.1% 19.1%
1986 83.9% 19.1%
1985 83.8% 19.1%
1984 83.7% 19.1%
1983 83.6% 19.1%
1982 83.6% 19.1%
1981 83.5% 19.1%
1980 83.4% 19.2%
1979 83.3% 19.2%
1978 83.2% 19.2%
1977 83.1% 19.6%
1976 82.9% 20.4%
1975 82.7% 20.6%
1974 82.5% 20.5%
1973 82.3% 20.5%
1972 81.9% 20.6%
1971 81.5% 20.7%
1970 80.4% 20.7%
1969 77.9% 20.6%
1968 74.6% 20.1%
1967 71.3% 19.3%
1966 68.8% 18.4%
1965 67.4% 17.5%
1964 66.5% 16.9%
1963 65.7% 16.5%
1962 64.9% 16.1%
1961 63.9% 15.7%
1960 62.4% 15.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 85.9% to 83.9% in New Zealand and from 26.8% to 38.5% in Vietnam.

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
Vietnam
City Population
Ho Chi Minh 14M
Hanoi 8.72M
Can Tho 3.21M
Da Nang 2.82M
Haiphong 2.12M
Bien Hoa 1.1M
Hue 653K
Bac Ninh 520K
Hai Duong 507K
Vinh 490K

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/vietnam | 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. Wikidata (2015–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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