Urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre in New Zealand
New Zealand: Urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre was 3.16 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3.16 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
180th
of 215 countries
All-time high
3.33 units per square kilometre
in 1961
All-time low
1.96 units per square kilometre
in 1989
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre in New Zealand, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre in New Zealand stood at 3.16 units per square kilometre.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 30.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre in New Zealand peaked at 3.33 units per square kilometre in 1961 and was at its lowest, 1.96 units per square kilometre, in 1989.
New Zealand ranks 180th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.33 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 3.32 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 3.31 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 3.3 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 3.26 units per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 3.18 units per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 1967 | 2.97 units per square kilometre | -6.5% |
| 1968 | 2.66 units per square kilometre | -10.5% |
| 1969 | 2.34 units per square kilometre | -12.1% |
| 1970 | 2.1 units per square kilometre | -10.3% |
| 1971 | 2.01 units per square kilometre | -4.0% |
| 1972 | 2 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 2.01 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 2.02 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 2.03 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 2.03 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 2.02 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 2.01 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 1.99 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 1.98 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 1.98 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 1.99 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 2 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 2.01 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 2.02 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 2.01 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 2 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 1.98 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 1.96 units per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 1.96 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 1.99 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 2 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 2.01 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 2.02 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 2.04 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 2.06 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 2.07 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 2.08 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 2.09 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 2.09 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 2.11 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 2.13 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 2.16 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 2.19 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 2.21 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 2.23 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 2.26 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 2.28 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 2.31 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 2.33 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 2.36 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 2.38 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 2.42 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 2.49 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 2.6 units per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 2.74 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 2.89 units per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2018 | 3.01 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 3.07 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 3.12 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 3.14 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 3.15 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 3.16 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 3.16 units per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.08 units per square kilometre, 18% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 3.16 units per square kilometre is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 27.01 units per square kilometre, 12% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.07 units per square kilometre | 2.34 units per square kilometre | 3.33 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.02 units per square kilometre | 1.99 units per square kilometre | 2.1 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.99 units per square kilometre | 1.96 units per square kilometre | 2.02 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.03 units per square kilometre | 1.96 units per square kilometre | 2.09 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.2 units per square kilometre | 2.09 units per square kilometre | 2.31 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.63 units per square kilometre | 2.33 units per square kilometre | 3.07 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.14 units per square kilometre | 3.12 units per square kilometre | 3.16 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 177 Venezuela 3.45 units per square kilometre compare
- 178 Oman 3.33 units per square kilometre compare
- 179 Bolivia 3.29 units per square kilometre compare
- 181 Brazil 3.13 units per square kilometre compare
- 182 Chile 2.96 units per square kilometre compare
- 183 Turks and Caicos Islands 2.95 units per square kilometre compare
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)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Population density 22.07 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 256,010 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre in New Zealand?
- Urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre in New Zealand was 3.16 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 3.33 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- What is the lowest urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.96 units per square kilometre in 1989.
- How does New Zealand rank for urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre?
- New Zealand ranks 180th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban and rural population 2050, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Urban and rural population 2050 divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Urban and rural population 2050 ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Urban and rural population projected to 2050 HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Urban and rural population 2050 divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.