Rural population, per square kilometre in New Zealand
New Zealand: Rural population, per square kilometre was 3.18 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3.18 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
180th
of 215 countries
All-time high
3.32 units per square kilometre
in 1961
All-time low
1.92 units per square kilometre
in 1990
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in New Zealand, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 3.18 units per square kilometre for rural population, per square kilometre in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 32.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in New Zealand peaked at 3.32 units per square kilometre in 1961 and was at its lowest, 1.92 units per square kilometre, in 1990.
That places New Zealand 180th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.32 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 3.31 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1963 | 3.3 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 3.29 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1965 | 3.25 units per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 1966 | 3.17 units per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 1967 | 2.97 units per square kilometre | -6.3% |
| 1968 | 2.65 units per square kilometre | -10.7% |
| 1969 | 2.33 units per square kilometre | -12.2% |
| 1970 | 2.09 units per square kilometre | -10.3% |
| 1971 | 2 units per square kilometre | -4.1% |
| 1972 | 1.99 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1973 | 1.99 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 2.01 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 2.02 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 2.02 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 2.01 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 1978 | 1.99 units per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 1.97 units per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 1.96 units per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 1.96 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 1982 | 1.97 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 1.99 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 2 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 2 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 1.99 units per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 1987 | 1.98 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 1.96 units per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 1989 | 1.94 units per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 1.92 units per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 2 units per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 2 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 2.01 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 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 | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 2.08 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 2.09 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 2.09 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 2.09 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 2.1 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 2.13 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 2.16 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 2.19 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 2.21 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 2.24 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 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 | 2.34 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 2.36 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 2.38 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 2.41 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 2.49 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 2.6 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 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 | 3.06 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 3.12 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 3.12 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 3.12 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 3.18 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.07 units per square kilometre | 2.33 units per square kilometre | 3.32 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.01 units per square kilometre | 1.97 units per square kilometre | 2.09 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.97 units per square kilometre | 1.94 units per square kilometre | 2 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.03 units per square kilometre | 1.92 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 | 2.34 units per square kilometre | 3.06 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.13 units per square kilometre | 3.12 units per square kilometre | 3.18 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 177 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 3.45 units per square kilometre compare
- 178 Oman 3.33 units per square kilometre compare
- 179 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 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 agriculture & rural data for New Zealand
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -10.07 % change on previous year (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0401 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,976 current US$ per person (2023)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.275 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.16 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.0% (2023)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, per square kilometre in New Zealand?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in New Zealand was 3.18 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 3.32 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.92 units per square kilometre in 1990.
- How does New Zealand rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- New Zealand ranks 180th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.0%. 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 Rural population, 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
Rural population 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.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- 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
Rural population 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.