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By 2026, New Zealand is projected to be home to 5,287,479 people. That is a 2.8-fold increase on the 1,911,263 recorded in 1950. It is growing modestly, at +0.65% a year, adding about 34.5K people a year. With only 20 people/km², it is one of the world's more sparsely settled countries. Half the population is younger than 38.0 years, and the age structure is steadily tilting older: the median is projected to reach 42.7 by 2050. The sexes are close to evenly balanced, at 99 males per 100 females. By 2100, UN projections see it rising to 5,812,293, up 10% from 2026.
Total population
5,287,479
Density
20 people/km²
Median age
38.0 years
Growth rate
+0.65%
New Zealand's population continues to grow, though at a moderate pace. The population is aging rapidly; median age will rise from 38 in 2026 to 43 by 2050. Population density is low at 20 people per km².