Ireland vs New Zealand: Population, total
Ireland
5.48 million
in 2025
New Zealand
5.32 million
in 2025
Ireland rank
121st
New Zealand rank
124th
Population, total over time
- Ireland
- New Zealand
How they compare
Ireland currently reports 5.48 million against 5.32 million in New Zealand, a difference of 159,670.
The two have swapped places 6 times across 66 shared years of data; in 1960 it was Ireland ahead.
Ireland ranks 121st and New Zealand ranks 124th of 215 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 6 and New Zealand in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | New Zealand | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.87 million | 2.59 million | 278,500 | Ireland |
| 1970s | 3.16 million | 3.01 million | 152,565 | Ireland |
| 1980s | 3.50 million | 3.22 million | 287,771 | Ireland |
| 1990s | 3.62 million | 3.64 million | 22,430 | New Zealand |
| 2000s | 4.15 million | 4.09 million | 62,140 | Ireland |
| 2010s | 4.72 million | 4.61 million | 107,853 | Ireland |
| 2020s | 5.26 million | 5.18 million | 83,578 | Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher population, total, Ireland or New Zealand?
- Ireland, at 5.48 million against 5.32 million in New Zealand as of 2025.
- What is the difference in population, total between Ireland and New Zealand?
- 159,670, with Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and New Zealand?
- 66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
- How do Ireland and New Zealand rank globally for population, total?
- Ireland ranks 121st and New Zealand ranks 124th of 215 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as Population, total. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.