Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in New Zealand
New Zealand: Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square was 6.35 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
6.35 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
96th
of 121 countries
All-time high
6.35 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
1.72 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in New Zealand, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 6.35 units per square kilometre for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 18.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in New Zealand peaked at 6.35 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.72 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
New Zealand ranks 96th of 121 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.72 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1.79 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1963 | 1.86 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1964 | 1.94 units per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1965 | 2.02 units per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1966 | 2.1 units per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1967 | 2.17 units per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1968 | 2.25 units per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1969 | 2.33 units per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 2.41 units per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 2.49 units per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 2.56 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 2.63 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 2.7 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 2.77 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1976 | 2.83 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1977 | 2.86 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 2.88 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 2.91 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 2.94 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 2.97 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 3 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 3.02 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 3.05 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 3.08 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 3.12 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 3.16 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 3.21 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 3.26 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 3.3 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 3.37 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 3.48 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 3.58 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 3.7 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 3.81 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 3.93 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 4 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 4.07 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1999 | 4.14 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 4.22 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 4.29 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 4.39 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 4.5 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 4.61 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 4.72 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 4.83 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 4.89 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 4.95 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 5.01 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 5.07 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 5.13 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 5.24 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 5.34 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 5.45 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 5.56 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 5.68 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 5.79 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 5.91 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 6.01 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 6.1 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 6.19 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 6.28 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 6.35 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 6.35 units per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 24.2 units per square kilometre, 26% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 6.35 units per square kilometre is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 27.9 units per square kilometre, 23% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.02 units per square kilometre | 1.72 units per square kilometre | 2.33 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.7 units per square kilometre | 2.41 units per square kilometre | 2.91 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.08 units per square kilometre | 2.94 units per square kilometre | 3.26 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.74 units per square kilometre | 3.3 units per square kilometre | 4.14 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.64 units per square kilometre | 4.22 units per square kilometre | 5.01 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.52 units per square kilometre | 5.07 units per square kilometre | 6.01 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.23 units per square kilometre | 6.1 units per square kilometre | 6.35 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 93 Argentina 7.28 units per square kilometre compare
- 94 Afghanistan 7.04 units per square kilometre compare
- 95 Madagascar 6.66 units per square kilometre compare
- 97 Yemen 6.24 units per square kilometre compare
- 98 Uzbekistan 5.91 units per square kilometre compare
- 99 Poland 5.87 units per square kilometre compare
More urban development data for New Zealand
- Population in the largest city 38.3% (2025)
- Population density 19.75 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 6.88 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.71 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.3214 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 1.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in largest city 1.71 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 0.95 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 202.99 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in New Zealand?
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square in New Zealand was 6.35 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 6.35 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.72 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does New Zealand rank for population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square?
- New Zealand ranks 96th out of 121 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.9%. 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 Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, 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
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 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.
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million World Urbanization Prospects 2018, 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
Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 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.