Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — New Zealand

Urban population share in New Zealand in 2025 — 84%. Ranked 48 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 21.6 pp.

2025 84% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 48of 217
Period maximum 85.9%2006
Period minimum 62.4%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — New Zealand, 1960–20256070809019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 62.4%1962: 64.9%1964: 66.5%1966: 68.8%1968: 74.6%1970: 80.4%1972: 81.9%1974: 82.5%1976: 82.9%1978: 83.2%1980: 83.4%1982: 83.6%1984: 83.7%1986: 83.9%1988: 84.3%1990: 84.8%1992: 85.1%1994: 85.3%1996: 85.5%1998: 85.6%2000: 85.7%2002: 85.8%2004: 85.9%2006: 85.9%2008: 85.9%2010: 85.9%2012: 85.8%2014: 85.5%2016: 84.7%2018: 83.8%2020: 83.8%2022: 83.9%2024: 83.9%2025: 84%
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 84%
World 57.8%
Australia and New Zealand computed 87.1%
High-income countries computed 80.3%
Urban population share — New Zealand, by year New Zealand All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 84 +0.1 pp
2024 83.9 +0 pp
2023 83.9 +0 pp
2022 83.9 +0 pp
2021 83.8 +0 pp
2020 83.8 +0 pp
2019 83.8 +0 pp
2018 83.8 −0.4 pp
2017 84.2 −0.5 pp
2016 84.7 −0.5 pp
2015 85.2 −0.4 pp
2014 85.5 −0.2 pp
2013 85.7 −0.1 pp
2012 85.8 −0 pp
2011 85.8 −0 pp
2010 85.9 −0 pp
2009 85.9 −0 pp
2008 85.9 −0 pp
2007 85.9 −0 pp
2006 85.9 +0 pp
2005 85.9 +0 pp
2004 85.9 +0 pp
2003 85.9 +0.1 pp
2002 85.8 +0.1 pp
2001 85.8 +0 pp
2000 85.7 +0.1 pp
1999 85.7 +0.1 pp
1998 85.6 +0.1 pp
1997 85.5 +0.1 pp
1996 85.5 +0.1 pp
1995 85.4 +0.1 pp
1994 85.3 +0.1 pp
1993 85.2 +0.1 pp
1992 85.1 +0.1 pp
1991 85 +0.2 pp
1990 84.8 +0.2 pp
1989 84.6 +0.3 pp
1988 84.3 +0.2 pp
1987 84.1 +0.2 pp
1986 83.9 +0.1 pp
1985 83.8 +0.1 pp
1984 83.7 +0.1 pp
1983 83.6 +0.1 pp
1982 83.6 +0.1 pp
1981 83.5 +0.1 pp
1980 83.4 +0.1 pp
1979 83.3 +0.1 pp
1978 83.2 +0.1 pp
1977 83.1 +0.2 pp
1976 82.9 +0.2 pp
1975 82.7 +0.2 pp
1974 82.5 +0.3 pp
1973 82.3 +0.3 pp
1972 81.9 +0.4 pp
1971 81.5 +1.1 pp
1970 80.4 +2.5 pp
1969 77.9 +3.3 pp
1968 74.6 +3.3 pp
1967 71.3 +2.5 pp
1966 68.8 +1.4 pp
1965 67.4 +1 pp
1964 66.5 +0.8 pp
1963 65.7 +0.8 pp
1962 64.9 +1 pp
1961 63.9 +1.5 pp
1960 62.4

Australia and New Zealand, 2025

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

AU Australia 87.7 NZ New Zealand 84

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

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