New Zealand vs Sri Lanka: Urban and rural population
New Zealand
4.41 million
in 2025
Sri Lanka
4.75 million
in 2025
New Zealand rank
107th
Sri Lanka rank
104th
Urban and rural population over time
- New Zealand
- Sri Lanka
How they compare
Sri Lanka currently reports 4.75 million against 4.41 million in New Zealand, a difference of 338,980.
That makes Sri Lanka's figure about 1.1 times New Zealand's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 76 shared years of data; in 1950 it was Sri Lanka ahead.
New Zealand ranks 107th and Sri Lanka ranks 104th of 236 countries.
Across the 8 decades both report, New Zealand averaged higher in 2 and Sri Lanka in 6.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | Sri Lanka | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.19 million | 1.36 million | 168,734 | Sri Lanka |
| 1960s | 1.78 million | 2.14 million | 355,871 | Sri Lanka |
| 1970s | 2.49 million | 2.98 million | 484,210 | Sri Lanka |
| 1980s | 2.72 million | 3.16 million | 438,335 | Sri Lanka |
| 1990s | 3.11 million | 2.83 million | 279,110 | New Zealand |
| 2000s | 3.51 million | 3.08 million | 432,637 | New Zealand |
| 2010s | 3.92 million | 4.03 million | 106,873 | Sri Lanka |
| 2020s | 4.33 million | 4.59 million | 267,932 | Sri Lanka |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher urban and rural population, New Zealand or Sri Lanka?
- Sri Lanka, at 4.75 million against 4.41 million in New Zealand as of 2025.
- What is the difference in urban and rural population between New Zealand and Sri Lanka?
- 338,980, with Sri Lanka ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and Sri Lanka?
- 76 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2025.
- How do New Zealand and Sri Lanka rank globally for urban and rural population?
- New Zealand ranks 107th and Sri Lanka ranks 104th of 236 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Urban and rural population. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.