New Zealand is 2.22 times bigger by total area compared to North Korea: 103,483 sq mi vs 46,541 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of New Zealand is 101,665 sq mi vs 46,491 sq mi for North Korea — a 2.19 times difference in territory size.
- New Zealand ranks 74/197 by total surface area vs 96/197 for North Korea.
- New Zealand occupies 0.18% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.08% for North Korea.
- 36.9% of New Zealand's area is agricultural land vs 21.6% in North Korea.
- New Zealand has 0.2% of the world's agricultural land area — N. Korea has 0.05%.
- 37.8% of New Zealand is covered by forests, compared to 49.6% in N. Korea.
- 0.25% of the world's forests are in New Zealand, and 0.15% are in North Korea.
Total size and land area comparison
New Zealand
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
103,483 sq mi |
46,541 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 2.22 | 1 |
| Total area rank | 74/197 | 96/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.05% | 0.02% |
| Land area |
101,665 sq mi |
46,491 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 2.19 | 1 |
| Land area rank | 74/197 | 97/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.18% | 0.08% |
| Population | 5,287,500 | 26,498,823 |
| Population density | 52.8 ppl/mi² | 573 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
New Zealand
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
38,418 sq mi |
23,036 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 37.8% | 49.6% |
| Forest area rank | 53/196 | 70/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.25% | 0.15% |
Agricultural land area
|
37,494 sq mi |
10,021 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 36.9% | 21.6% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 72/194 | 109/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.2% | 0.05% |
|
Arable land
|
2,008 sq mi |
8,861 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 1.97% | 19.1% |
| Arable land area rank | 123/191 | 79/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
278 sq mi |
966 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.27% | 2.08% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 115/192 | 77/192 |
|
Water area
|
1,819 sq mi |
50.2 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 1.76% | 0.11% |
| Water area rank | 65/197 | 137/197 |
| Roads length |
60,159 mi |
15,879 mi |
| Land borders length |
0 mi |
999 mi |
| Coastline length |
9,404 mi |
1,550 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 30.4% | 0% |
New Zealand vs North Korea size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/new-zealand/north-korea | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of New Zealand and North Korea but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
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.