New Zealand vs Switzerland: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization)
New Zealand
16.0%
in 2025
Switzerland
14.3%
in 2025
New Zealand rank
171st
Switzerland rank
174th
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) over time
- New Zealand
- Switzerland
How they compare
New Zealand currently reports 16.0% against 14.3% in Switzerland, a difference of 1.7%.
That makes New Zealand's figure about 1.1 times Switzerland's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 66 shared years of data; in 1960 it was Switzerland ahead.
New Zealand ranks 171st and Switzerland ranks 174th of 218 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, New Zealand averaged higher in 1 and Switzerland in 6.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | Switzerland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 31.7% | 46.0% | 14.3% | Switzerland |
| 1970s | 17.6% | 40.8% | 23.2% | Switzerland |
| 1980s | 16.2% | 35.5% | 19.3% | Switzerland |
| 1990s | 14.7% | 28.9% | 14.2% | Switzerland |
| 2000s | 14.1% | 26.5% | 12.4% | Switzerland |
| 2010s | 15.0% | 24.0% | 9.0% | Switzerland |
| 2020s | 16.1% | 15.4% | 0.8% | New Zealand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher rural population, New Zealand or Switzerland?
- New Zealand, at 16.0% against 14.3% in Switzerland as of 2025.
- What is the difference in rural population between New Zealand and Switzerland?
- 1.7%, with New Zealand ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and Switzerland?
- 66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
- How do New Zealand and Switzerland rank globally for rural population?
- New Zealand ranks 171st and Switzerland ranks 174th 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.