Ireland vs New Zealand: Total population
Ireland
5,283 thousands
in 2025
New Zealand
5,234 thousands
in 2025
Ireland rank
121st
New Zealand rank
123rd
Total population over time
- Ireland
- New Zealand
How they compare
Ireland currently reports 5,283 thousands against 5,234 thousands in New Zealand, a difference of 49 thousands.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 56 shared years of data; in 1970 it was Ireland ahead.
Ireland ranks 121st and New Zealand ranks 123rd of 230 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 4 and New Zealand in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | New Zealand | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3,138 thousands | 3,010 thousands | 127.35 thousands | Ireland |
| 1980s | 3,495 thousands | 3,236 thousands | 258.97 thousands | Ireland |
| 1990s | 3,602 thousands | 3,618 thousands | 15.77 thousands | New Zealand |
| 2000s | 4,110 thousands | 4,067 thousands | 43.1 thousands | Ireland |
| 2010s | 4,689 thousands | 4,580 thousands | 109.09 thousands | Ireland |
| 2020s | 5,116 thousands | 5,139 thousands | 22.65 thousands | New Zealand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher total population, Ireland or New Zealand?
- Ireland, at 5,283 thousands against 5,234 thousands in New Zealand as of 2025.
- What is the difference in total population between Ireland and New Zealand?
- 49 thousands, with Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and New Zealand?
- 56 years are reported by both, from 1970 to 2025.
- How do Ireland and New Zealand rank globally for total population?
- Ireland ranks 121st and New Zealand ranks 123rd of 230 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Total population (thousands). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release