Skip to content

Population in New Zealand compared to the United Kingdom: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank team

The latest officially reported population of New Zealand was 5,287,500 in 2024 vs 69,226,000 people in the United Kingdom in 2024. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current New Zealand's population is 5,374,272 people compared to 70,154,914 in the United Kingdom.

Population statistics:

  • The United Kingdom's population is 13.1 times bigger than New Zealand's.
  • New Zealand is ranked the 124th most populous country in the world, while the United Kingdom is the 22nd.
  • The countries together account for 0.91% of the world: 0.06% for New Zealand vs 0.85% for the United Kingdom.
  • For the last 10 years, New Zealand has had an average growth rate of +1.6% per year vs +0.7% in the United Kingdom.
  • Since 2006, the population of New Zealand has increased from 4.18M people to 5.37M (28.4% growth), while the United Kingdom has grown from 60.8M to 70.2M (15.3% growth).

New Zealand vs United Kingdom: population by year and forecast

New Zealand
Factual

Projection
United Kingdom
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
New Zealand United Kingdom
2100 5,918,837 74,700,585
2099 5,923,132 74,831,175
2098 5,927,206 74,950,267
2097 5,930,263 75,064,397
2096 5,932,907 75,176,691
2095 5,934,847 75,287,063
2094 5,936,183 75,383,856
2093 5,938,804 75,482,205
2092 5,939,085 75,575,769
2091 5,940,665 75,666,091
2090 5,941,752 75,753,129
2089 5,944,871 75,835,723
2088 5,945,635 75,907,614
2087 5,948,586 75,978,712
2086 5,951,745 76,046,742
2085 5,955,275 76,105,680
2084 5,959,115 76,156,223
2083 5,963,613 76,205,894
2082 5,966,943 76,246,844
2081 5,968,511 76,274,040
2080 5,971,082 76,306,205
2079 5,972,331 76,334,949
2078 5,972,928 76,353,484
2077 5,971,804 76,371,123
2076 5,971,386 76,373,520
2075 5,970,985 76,386,071
2074 5,969,834 76,397,426
2073 5,968,506 76,406,554
2072 5,964,548 76,398,941
2071 5,964,493 76,388,223
2070 5,963,811 76,378,505
2069 5,962,551 76,371,827
2068 5,960,918 76,370,973
2067 5,958,438 76,363,548
2066 5,954,539 76,356,638
2065 5,950,378 76,355,841
2064 5,946,851 76,352,770
2063 5,944,910 76,353,175
2062 5,940,838 76,346,535
2061 5,939,601 76,344,206
2060 5,936,094 76,344,725
2059 5,931,426 76,345,215
2058 5,925,816 76,326,961
2057 5,919,823 76,307,006
2056 5,913,287 76,274,247
2055 5,904,352 76,235,304
2054 5,894,795 76,167,710
2053 5,884,875 76,094,051
2052 5,876,162 76,001,979
2051 5,864,176 75,895,690
2050 5,852,896 75,777,445
2049 5,844,165 75,646,044
2048 5,833,178 75,499,380
2047 5,822,035 75,338,951
2046 5,809,860 75,171,300
2045 5,795,785 74,993,186
2044 5,780,884 74,807,530
2043 5,764,579 74,607,485
2042 5,746,528 74,407,783
2041 5,727,253 74,203,292
2040 5,708,874 73,994,525
2039 5,690,018 73,782,112
2038 5,669,959 73,559,085
2037 5,650,253 73,335,723
2036 5,630,126 73,101,646
2035 5,609,155 72,850,722
2034 5,588,315 72,597,177
2033 5,565,507 72,322,802
2032 5,542,488 72,046,316
2031 5,517,391 71,757,868
2030 5,491,320 71,442,811
2029 5,462,926 71,123,782
2028 5,432,752 70,783,199
2027 5,399,898 70,421,923
2026 5,364,771 70,055,911
2025 5,327,462 69,658,188
2024 5,287,500 69,226,000
2023 5,200,000 68,492,000
2022 5,081,700 67,604,000
2021 5,084,600 66,984,000
2020 5,072,400 66,744,000
2019 4,970,300 66,631,000
2018 4,900,600 66,289,000
2017 4,813,600 65,966,000
2016 4,714,100 65,607,000
2015 4,609,400 65,088,000
2014 4,516,500 64,620,000
2013 4,442,100 64,139,000
2012 4,408,100 63,711,000
2011 4,384,000 63,258,810
2010 4,350,700 62,766,365
2009 4,302,600 62,276,270
2008 4,259,800 61,806,995
2007 4,223,800 61,322,463
2006 4,184,600 60,846,820
2005 4,133,900 60,401,206
2004 4,087,500 59,987,905
2003 4,027,200 59,647,577
2002 3,948,500 59,370,479
2001 3,880,500 59,119,673
2000 3,857,700 58,892,514
1999 3,835,100 58,682,466
1998 3,815,000 58,487,141
1997 3,781,300 58,316,954
1996 3,732,000 58,166,950
1995 3,673,400 58,019,030
1994 3,620,000 57,865,745
1993 3,572,200 57,718,614
1992 3,531,700 57,580,402
1991 3,495,100 57,424,897
1990 3,329,800 57,247,586
1989 3,299,200 57,076,711
1988 3,283,400 56,928,327
1987 3,274,400 56,802,050
1986 3,246,300 56,681,396
1985 3,247,100 56,550,268
1984 3,227,100 56,422,072
1983 3,199,300 56,332,848
1982 3,156,100 56,313,641
1981 3,124,900 56,333,829
1980 3,112,900 56,314,216
1979 3,109,000 56,246,951
1978 3,121,200 56,196,504
1977 3,120,200 56,193,492
1976 3,110,500 56,211,968
1975 3,083,100 56,225,800
1974 3,023,700 56,229,974
1973 2,961,300 56,194,527
1972 2,903,900 56,086,065
1971 2,853,000 55,896,223
1970 2,810,700 55,663,250
1969 2,772,800 55,441,750
1968 2,748,100 55,211,700
1967 2,724,100 54,943,600
1966 2,675,900 54,648,500
1965 2,628,400 54,348,050
1964 2,585,400 54,000,000
1963 2,531,800 53,650,000
1962 2,482,000 53,250,000
1961 2,419,700 52,800,000
1960 2,371,800 52,400,000

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/new-zealand/united-kingdom | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of New Zealand increased by 529,500 people (a 12.7% growth), while the United Kingdom gained 4,760,180 people (a 7.82% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, New Zealand gained 660,172 people (a 14% growth), while the United Kingdom's population increased by 4,547,914 people (a 6.93% growth).

New Zealand was ranked 122nd most populous country in 2006 and is 124th in 2026. The United Kingdom was ranked 21st in 2006 and ranked 22nd now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) New Zealand's population will grow by 8.91% to 5,852,896 people with a rank change from 124th to 122nd. The population of the United Kingdom will increase by 8.01% to 75,777,445 people and rank change from 22nd to 26th.

New Zealand is projected to reach its peak in 2078 at 5.97M people compared to the peak of 76.4M people in 2073 for the United Kingdom.

Population growth rate by year

New Zealand
Factual

Projection
United Kingdom
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
New Zealand United Kingdom
2100 -0.07% -0.17%
2099 -0.07% -0.16%
2098 -0.05% -0.15%
2097 -0.04% -0.15%
2096 -0.03% -0.15%
2095 -0.02% -0.13%
2094 -0.04% -0.13%
2093 -0.005% -0.12%
2092 -0.03% -0.12%
2091 -0.02% -0.11%
2090 -0.05% -0.11%
2089 -0.01% -0.09%
2088 -0.05% -0.09%
2087 -0.05% -0.09%
2086 -0.06% -0.08%
2085 -0.06% -0.07%
2084 -0.08% -0.07%
2083 -0.06% -0.05%
2082 -0.03% -0.04%
2081 -0.04% -0.04%
2080 -0.02% -0.04%
2079 -0.01% -0.02%
2078 0.02% -0.02%
2077 0.007% -0.003%
2076 0.007% -0.02%
2075 0.02% -0.01%
2074 0.02% -0.01%
2073 0.07% 0.01%
2072 0.001% 0.01%
2071 0.01% 0.01%
2070 0.02% 0.009%
2069 0.03% 0.001%
2068 0.04% 0.01%
2067 0.07% 0.009%
2066 0.07% 0.001%
2065 0.06% 0.004%
2064 0.03% -0%
2063 0.07% 0.009%
2062 0.02% 0.003%
2061 0.06% -0.001%
2060 0.08% -0.001%
2059 0.09% 0.02%
2058 0.1% 0.03%
2057 0.11% 0.04%
2056 0.15% 0.05%
2055 0.16% 0.09%
2054 0.17% 0.1%
2053 0.15% 0.12%
2052 0.2% 0.14%
2051 0.19% 0.16%
2050 0.15% 0.17%
2049 0.19% 0.19%
2048 0.19% 0.21%
2047 0.21% 0.22%
2046 0.24% 0.24%
2045 0.26% 0.25%
2044 0.28% 0.27%
2043 0.31% 0.27%
2042 0.34% 0.28%
2041 0.32% 0.28%
2040 0.33% 0.29%
2039 0.35% 0.3%
2038 0.35% 0.3%
2037 0.36% 0.32%
2036 0.37% 0.34%
2035 0.37% 0.35%
2034 0.41% 0.38%
2033 0.42% 0.38%
2032 0.45% 0.4%
2031 0.47% 0.44%
2030 0.52% 0.45%
2029 0.56% 0.48%
2028 0.61% 0.51%
2027 0.65% 0.52%
2026 0.7% 0.57%
2025 0.76% 0.62%
2024 1.68% 1.07%
2023 2.33% 1.31%
2022 -0.06% 0.93%
2021 0.24% 0.36%
2020 2.05% 0.17%
2019 1.42% 0.52%
2018 1.81% 0.49%
2017 2.11% 0.55%
2016 2.27% 0.8%
2015 2.06% 0.72%
2014 1.67% 0.75%
2013 0.77% 0.67%
2012 0.55% 0.71%
2011 0.77% 0.78%
2010 1.12% 0.79%
2009 1% 0.76%
2008 0.85% 0.79%
2007 0.94% 0.78%
2006 1.23% 0.74%
2005 1.14% 0.69%
2004 1.5% 0.57%
2003 1.99% 0.47%
2002 1.75% 0.42%
2001 0.59% 0.39%
2000 0.59% 0.36%
1999 0.53% 0.33%
1998 0.89% 0.29%
1997 1.32% 0.26%
1996 1.6% 0.25%
1995 1.48% 0.26%
1994 1.34% 0.25%
1993 1.15% 0.24%
1992 1.05% 0.27%
1991 4.96% 0.31%
1990 0.93% 0.3%
1989 0.48% 0.26%
1988 0.27% 0.22%
1987 0.87% 0.21%
1986 -0.02% 0.23%
1985 0.62% 0.23%
1984 0.87% 0.16%
1983 1.37% 0.03%
1982 1% -0.04%
1981 0.39% 0.03%
1980 0.13% 0.12%
1979 -0.39% 0.09%
1978 0.03% 0.005%
1977 0.31% -0.03%
1976 0.89% -0.02%
1975 1.96% -0.007%
1974 2.11% 0.06%
1973 1.98% 0.19%
1972 1.78% 0.34%
1971 1.5% 0.42%
1970 1.37% 0.4%
1969 0.9% 0.42%
1968 0.88% 0.49%
1967 1.8% 0.54%
1966 1.81% 0.55%
1965 1.66% 0.64%
1964 2.12% 0.65%
1963 2.01% 0.75%
1962 2.57% 0.85%
1961 2.02% 0.76%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10); World Bank | Health (1961–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/new-zealand/united-kingdom | CC BY

In 2024, the population of New Zealand grew by 1.68%, while the United Kingdom's population grew by 1.07%.

Live population counters

New Zealand United Kingdom
Current population
5374272
70154914
Population rank 124/197 22/197
Percent of world population 0.06% 0.85%
One net population change
6.01 minutes
43 seconds
One birth every
9.31 minutes
45.9 seconds
One death every
14 minutes
48.4 seconds
Daily growth/decline +240 +2,011
Annual growth/decline +87,500 +734,000
Annual growth/decline rate +1.68% +1.07%
Population growth rate rank 65/197 97/197
One migration net change every
30.3 minutes
1.35 minutes
Annual migration change +17,403 +389,911
Net migration rank 35/196 4/196
Foreign-born residents 1,467,989 11,845,479
Foreign-born residents rank 45/195 4/195
Foreign-born share of population 28.2% 17.1%
Foreign-born share rank 20/195 36/195

Natural population change vs migration

New Zealand
Natural

Migration
United Kingdom
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
New Zealand United Kingdom
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 17,403 - 389,911
2024 - 18,766 - 417,114
2023 18,876 21,404 34,589 445,523
2022 20,123 21,404 39,751 487,029
2021 23,644 -14,944 30,612 462,967
2020 24,905 42,124 -4,272 144,221
2019 25,299 69,770 108,342 232,727
2018 24,797 59,139 119,321 259,744
2017 26,282 68,349 145,125 272,311
2016 28,237 75,512 177,139 324,649
2015 29,408 70,870 175,738 347,839
2014 26,196 57,974 206,784 306,091
2013 29,096 26,385 198,830 237,272
2012 31,077 -1,015 248,473 172,088
2011 31,302 -2,196 259,361 228,773
2010 35,458 6,722 251,066 274,811
2009 33,560 12,700 230,422 249,639
2008 35,143 4,804 216,325 263,390
2007 35,480 3,053 196,232 309,385
2006 30,924 14,542 176,455 288,923
2005 30,674 19,212 144,963 308,279
2004 29,634 24,521 131,974 276,077
2003 28,150 42,456 89,471 211,846
2002 25,941 48,195 65,308 203,577
2001 27,939 17,793 65,032 175,133
2000 29,897 -6,604 70,671 153,917
1999 28,916 -7,634 64,551 152,653
1998 29,146 -1,387 87,730 125,541
1997 30,137 12,040 99,138 59,723
1996 28,997 25,169 98,884 54,964
1995 29,828 26,743 87,028 61,385
1994 30,372 20,420 127,304 45,339
1993 31,685 12,638 103,893 27,403
1992 32,067 6,460 149,709 17,846
1991 33,518 31,156 143,562 27,601
1990 33,298 70,432 154,569 57,132
1989 30,749 -8,818 119,861 49,586
1988 29,846 -17,005 136,628 13,952
1987 27,603 -7,631 136,325 8,266
1986 25,549 -10,234 90,690 41,836
1985 24,126 -13,462 79,170 83,164
1984 26,043 -901 84,633 71,107
1983 24,315 11,464 61,966 27,063
1982 24,207 7,982 56,314 -61,152
1981 25,374 -7,606 73,234 -83,876
1980 23,658 -15,423 95,734 -25,187
1979 26,675 -26,694 61,872 11,255
1978 26,156 -28,783 16,859 3,783
1977 28,020 -22,697 0 -21,636
1976 29,456 -9,138 -5,621 -19,135
1975 31,355 13,196 33,735 -40,241
1974 33,896 27,580 67,476 -65,710
1973 35,239 28,261 112,389 -33,840
1972 38,244 17,779 162,650 -1,406
1971 40,000 7,547 257,123 1,175
1970 37,101 4,511 244,918 -15,254
1969 38,098 -5,212 260,577 -60,655
1968 37,594 -11,853 292,622 -38,852
1967 37,974 -2,289 346,145 -39,659
1966 36,151 9,161 333,356 -27,935
1965 36,982 9,245 364,132 -24,955
1964 39,375 9,806 405,000 -23,885
1963 42,027 10,226 337,995 8,271
1962 42,865 12,697 340,800 76,443
1961 43,482 10,689 311,519 52,295
1960 41,791 3,846 314,400 19,953

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population/new-zealand/united-kingdom | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 34.4% of the population change in New Zealand is from natural causes (a gain of 247,767 people) and 65.6% is from migration (a gain of 471,602 people). In the United Kingdom 23.9% is from natural causes (a gain of 1,033,129 people) and 76.1% is from migration (a gain of 3,283,101 people).

As of 2024, 1,467,989 residents or 28.2% of the population were not native-born in New Zealand, compared to 11,845,479 people or 17.1% in the United Kingdom.

Biggest cities by population

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
United Kingdom
City Population
London 8.8M
Birmingham 1.14M
Glasgow 626K
Manchester 548K
Leeds 536K
Sheffield 518K
Liverpool 513K
Edinburgh 488K
Bristol 472K
Cardiff 384K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population/new-zealand/united-kingdom | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.