New Zealand vs Saudi Arabia: Rural population
New Zealand
12.9%
in 2024
Saudi Arabia
14.8%
in 2024
New Zealand rank
173rd
Saudi Arabia rank
170th
Rural population over time
- New Zealand
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 14.8% against 12.9% in New Zealand, a difference of 1.9%.
That makes Saudi Arabia's figure about 1.1 times New Zealand's.
Across all 55 years both countries report, Saudi Arabia has been ahead every year.
New Zealand ranks 173rd and Saudi Arabia ranks 170th of 214 countries.
Saudi Arabia has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 17.5% | 43.0% | 25.4% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1980s | 16.2% | 28.4% | 12.2% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1990s | 14.6% | 21.6% | 7.0% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2000s | 13.8% | 19.1% | 5.4% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2010s | 13.7% | 16.9% | 3.3% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2020s | 13.1% | 15.3% | 2.2% | Saudi Arabia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher rural population, New Zealand or Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia, at 14.8% against 12.9% in New Zealand as of 2024.
- What is the difference in rural population between New Zealand and Saudi Arabia?
- 1.9%, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and Saudi Arabia?
- 55 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2024.
- How do New Zealand and Saudi Arabia rank globally for rural population?
- New Zealand ranks 173rd and Saudi Arabia ranks 170th of 214 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release