Annual population growth in New Zealand
New Zealand: Annual population growth was 41,106 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
41,106
Change on year
up 71.0%
World rank
115th
of 236 countries
All-time high
100,733
in 2016
All-time low
-649
in 1979
Years of data
73
1951–2023
Annual population growth in New Zealand, 1951–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, annual population growth in New Zealand stood at 41,106.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 71.0% on the previous year and down 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual population growth in New Zealand peaked at 100,733 in 2016 and was at its lowest, -649, in 1979.
That places New Zealand 115th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 73 years of available data.
Annual population growth in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 39,944 | — |
| 1952 | 46,544 | +16.5% |
| 1953 | 49,997 | +7.4% |
| 1954 | 47,393 | -5.2% |
| 1955 | 44,531 | -6.0% |
| 1956 | 45,170 | +1.4% |
| 1957 | 48,844 | +8.1% |
| 1958 | 51,307 | +5.0% |
| 1959 | 48,491 | -5.5% |
| 1960 | 45,996 | -5.1% |
| 1961 | 50,262 | +9.3% |
| 1962 | 54,659 | +8.7% |
| 1963 | 53,714 | -1.7% |
| 1964 | 50,653 | -5.7% |
| 1965 | 47,723 | -5.8% |
| 1966 | 46,096 | -3.4% |
| 1967 | 40,828 | -11.4% |
| 1968 | 31,105 | -23.8% |
| 1969 | 29,877 | -3.9% |
| 1970 | 37,785 | +26.5% |
| 1971 | 44,984 | +19.1% |
| 1972 | 52,095 | +15.8% |
| 1973 | 59,726 | +14.6% |
| 1974 | 62,234 | +4.2% |
| 1975 | 52,816 | -15.1% |
| 1976 | 32,600 | -38.3% |
| 1977 | 13,490 | -58.6% |
| 1978 | 2,116 | -84.3% |
| 1979 | -649 | -130.7% |
| 1980 | 4,729 | -828.7% |
| 1981 | 13,519 | +185.9% |
| 1982 | 25,285 | +87.0% |
| 1983 | 34,152 | +35.1% |
| 1984 | 30,547 | -10.6% |
| 1985 | 18,202 | -40.4% |
| 1986 | 13,480 | -25.9% |
| 1987 | 17,933 | +33.0% |
| 1988 | 16,583 | -7.5% |
| 1989 | 17,796 | +7.3% |
| 1990 | 63,159 | +254.9% |
| 1991 | 83,952 | +32.9% |
| 1992 | 51,313 | -38.9% |
| 1993 | 41,363 | -19.4% |
| 1994 | 47,421 | +14.6% |
| 1995 | 53,404 | +12.6% |
| 1996 | 54,949 | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 47,567 | -13.4% |
| 1998 | 34,426 | -27.6% |
| 1999 | 24,185 | -29.7% |
| 2000 | 22,015 | -9.0% |
| 2001 | 34,187 | +55.3% |
| 2002 | 59,353 | +73.6% |
| 2003 | 71,469 | +20.4% |
| 2004 | 61,327 | -14.2% |
| 2005 | 51,090 | -16.7% |
| 2006 | 46,941 | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 41,327 | -12.0% |
| 2008 | 38,549 | -6.7% |
| 2009 | 42,485 | +10.2% |
| 2010 | 43,462 | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 34,933 | -19.6% |
| 2012 | 28,983 | -17.0% |
| 2013 | 42,175 | +45.5% |
| 2014 | 69,119 | +63.9% |
| 2015 | 91,059 | +31.7% |
| 2016 | 100,733 | +10.6% |
| 2017 | 97,981 | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 88,091 | -10.1% |
| 2019 | 88,570 | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 80,485 | -9.1% |
| 2021 | 37,799 | -53.0% |
| 2022 | 24,037 | -36.4% |
| 2023 | 41,106 | +71.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 41,106 is above the median for high income countries, which is 3,163, 13.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 41,106 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3,585, 11.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual population growth in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +828.7% | -649 | 4,729 |
| 1990 | +254.9% | 17,796 | 63,159 |
| 1981 | +185.9% | 4,729 | 13,519 |
| 1979 | -130.7% | 2,116 | -649 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 46,913 | 39,944 | 51,307 | 9 |
| 1960s | 45,091 | 29,877 | 54,659 | 10 |
| 1970s | 35,720 | -649 | 62,234 | 10 |
| 1980s | 19,223 | 4,729 | 34,152 | 10 |
| 1990s | 50,174 | 24,185 | 83,952 | 10 |
| 2000s | 46,874 | 22,015 | 71,469 | 10 |
| 2010s | 68,511 | 28,983 | 100,733 | 10 |
| 2020s | 45,857 | 24,037 | 80,485 | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More population data for New Zealand
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -14.71 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0739 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,949 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.628 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.191 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.077 (2100)
- Population density 22.07 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 256,010 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual population growth in New Zealand?
- Annual population growth in New Zealand was 41,106 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual population growth recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 100,733 in 2016.
- What is the lowest annual population growth recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was -649 in 1979.
- How does New Zealand rank for annual population growth?
- New Zealand ranks 115th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual population growth rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Annual population growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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