Rural population share — all countries

Rural population share — New Zealand

Rural population share in New Zealand in 2025 — 16%. Ranked 170 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 21.6 pp.

2025 16% −0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 170of 217
Period maximum 37.6%1960
Period minimum 14.1%2006

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Rural population share — New Zealand, 1960–20251020304019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 37.6%1962: 35.1%1964: 33.5%1966: 31.2%1968: 25.4%1970: 19.6%1972: 18.1%1974: 17.5%1976: 17.1%1978: 16.8%1980: 16.6%1982: 16.4%1984: 16.3%1986: 16.1%1988: 15.7%1990: 15.2%1992: 14.9%1994: 14.7%1996: 14.5%1998: 14.4%2000: 14.3%2002: 14.2%2004: 14.1%2006: 14.1%2008: 14.1%2010: 14.1%2012: 14.2%2014: 14.5%2016: 15.3%2018: 16.2%2020: 16.2%2022: 16.1%2024: 16.1%2025: 16%
Change over the period: −21.6 pp Annual average: -0.33 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: New Zealand

New Zealand 16%
World 42.2%
Australia and New Zealand computed 12.9%
High-income countries computed 19.7%
Rural population share — New Zealand, by year New Zealand All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 16 −0.1 pp
2024 16.1 −0 pp
2023 16.1 −0 pp
2022 16.1 −0 pp
2021 16.2 −0 pp
2020 16.2 −0 pp
2019 16.2 −0 pp
2018 16.2 +0.4 pp
2017 15.8 +0.5 pp
2016 15.3 +0.5 pp
2015 14.8 +0.4 pp
2014 14.5 +0.2 pp
2013 14.3 +0.1 pp
2012 14.2 +0 pp
2011 14.2 +0 pp
2010 14.1 +0 pp
2009 14.1 +0 pp
2008 14.1 +0 pp
2007 14.1 +0 pp
2006 14.1 −0 pp
2005 14.1 −0 pp
2004 14.1 −0 pp
2003 14.1 −0.1 pp
2002 14.2 −0.1 pp
2001 14.2 −0 pp
2000 14.3 −0.1 pp
1999 14.3 −0.1 pp
1998 14.4 −0.1 pp
1997 14.5 −0.1 pp
1996 14.5 −0.1 pp
1995 14.6 −0.1 pp
1994 14.7 −0.1 pp
1993 14.8 −0.1 pp
1992 14.9 −0.1 pp
1991 15 −0.2 pp
1990 15.2 −0.2 pp
1989 15.4 −0.3 pp
1988 15.7 −0.2 pp
1987 15.9 −0.2 pp
1986 16.1 −0.1 pp
1985 16.2 −0.1 pp
1984 16.3 −0.1 pp
1983 16.4 −0.1 pp
1982 16.4 −0.1 pp
1981 16.5 −0.1 pp
1980 16.6 −0.1 pp
1979 16.7 −0.1 pp
1978 16.8 −0.1 pp
1977 16.9 −0.2 pp
1976 17.1 −0.2 pp
1975 17.3 −0.2 pp
1974 17.5 −0.3 pp
1973 17.7 −0.3 pp
1972 18.1 −0.4 pp
1971 18.5 −1.1 pp
1970 19.6 −2.5 pp
1969 22.1 −3.3 pp
1968 25.4 −3.3 pp
1967 28.7 −2.5 pp
1966 31.2 −1.4 pp
1965 32.6 −1 pp
1964 33.5 −0.8 pp
1963 34.3 −0.8 pp
1962 35.1 −1 pp
1961 36.1 −1.5 pp
1960 37.6

Australia and New Zealand, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

NZ New Zealand 16 AU Australia 12.3

About the indicator

The share of population living outside urban settlements, as a percent of the total. It is computed as the difference between total and urban population, and therefore inherits every particularity of national definitions of urban areas.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.