Population growth in New Zealand
New Zealand: Population growth was 0.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in New Zealand, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth in New Zealand is 0.7%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 61.9% on the previous year and down 67.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in New Zealand peaked at 2.5% in 1962 and was at its lowest, -0.4%, in 1979.
That places New Zealand 125th out of 217 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.0% | — |
| 1962 | 2.5% | +27.1% |
| 1963 | 2.0% | -21.9% |
| 1964 | 2.1% | +5.5% |
| 1965 | 1.6% | -21.3% |
| 1966 | 1.8% | +8.6% |
| 1967 | 1.8% | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 0.9% | -50.9% |
| 1969 | 0.9% | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 1.4% | +51.7% |
| 1971 | 1.5% | +10.0% |
| 1972 | 1.8% | +18.4% |
| 1973 | 2.0% | +10.7% |
| 1974 | 2.1% | +6.5% |
| 1975 | 1.9% | -6.7% |
| 1976 | 0.9% | -54.5% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | -64.8% |
| 1978 | 0.0% | -89.7% |
| 1979 | -0.4% | -1322.2% |
| 1980 | 0.1% | -132.0% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | +206.9% |
| 1982 | 1.0% | +158.2% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | +36.8% |
| 1984 | 0.9% | -36.4% |
| 1985 | 0.6% | -28.6% |
| 1986 | -0.0% | -104.0% |
| 1987 | 0.9% | -3597.8% |
| 1988 | 0.3% | -68.2% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | +74.9% |
| 1990 | 0.9% | +92.3% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | +12.8% |
| 1993 | 1.1% | +9.5% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | +16.6% |
| 1995 | 1.5% | +10.2% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | +8.1% |
| 1997 | 1.3% | -17.1% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | -32.4% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | -40.8% |
| 2000 | 0.6% | +11.8% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 1.7% | +194.8% |
| 2003 | 2.0% | +13.6% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | -24.7% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | -24.1% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | +8.0% |
| 2007 | 0.9% | -23.5% |
| 2008 | 0.8% | -9.0% |
| 2009 | 1.0% | +17.8% |
| 2010 | 1.1% | +11.2% |
| 2011 | 0.8% | -31.4% |
| 2012 | 0.5% | -28.1% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | +40.2% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | +116.2% |
| 2015 | 2.0% | +22.6% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | +10.3% |
| 2017 | 2.1% | -7.0% |
| 2018 | 1.8% | -14.2% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | -21.2% |
| 2020 | 2.0% | +44.0% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | -88.2% |
| 2022 | -0.1% | -123.7% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | -4133.7% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | -25.4% |
| 2025 | 0.7% | -61.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.7% | 0.9% | 2.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.1% | -0.4% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | -0.0% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | 0.5% | 1.6% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.2% | 0.6% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4% | 0.5% | 2.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | -0.1% | 2.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More climate change data for New Zealand
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 46,323 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,983 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 34,340 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 45.22 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,226 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 694.4 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 691.2 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3.2 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2.61 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.1143 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in New Zealand?
- Population growth in New Zealand was 0.7% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 2.5% in 1962.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.4% in 1979.
- How does New Zealand rank for population growth?
- New Zealand ranks 125th out of 217 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 67.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.