New Zealand vs Saudi Arabia: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization)
New Zealand
16.0%
in 2025
Saudi Arabia
15.4%
in 2025
New Zealand rank
171st
Saudi Arabia rank
172nd
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) over time
- New Zealand
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
New Zealand currently reports 16.0% against 15.4% in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 0.6%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 66 shared years of data; in 1960 it was Saudi Arabia ahead.
New Zealand ranks 171st and Saudi Arabia ranks 172nd of 218 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, New Zealand averaged higher in 1 and Saudi Arabia in 6.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 31.7% | 61.4% | 29.7% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1970s | 17.6% | 42.6% | 25.0% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1980s | 16.2% | 28.0% | 11.9% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1990s | 14.7% | 21.4% | 6.7% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2000s | 14.1% | 19.1% | 5.0% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2010s | 15.0% | 17.1% | 2.2% | Saudi Arabia |
| 2020s | 16.1% | 15.8% | 0.3% | New Zealand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher rural population, New Zealand or Saudi Arabia?
- New Zealand, at 16.0% against 15.4% in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in rural population between New Zealand and Saudi Arabia?
- 0.6%, with New Zealand ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and Saudi Arabia?
- 66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
- How do New Zealand and Saudi Arabia rank globally for rural population?
- New Zealand ranks 171st and Saudi Arabia ranks 172nd of 218 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), 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
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.