The following is a comparison between Australia and New Zealand, two developed nations in the Oceania region.
Australia vs New Zealand – country comparison
Which country is larger, Australia or New Zealand?
Australia is one of the largest countries in the world. It is more than 28 times larger than New Zealand.
- Area of Australia – around 7.7 million sq km
- Area of New Zealand – around 268,000 sq km
Which country is more populous, Australia or New Zealand?
Both Australia and New Zealand are sparsely populated countries.
- Population of Australia – 26.7 million (2024 estimate)
- Population of New Zealand – 5.3 million (2024 estimate)
Economy
2023 (IMF) | Australia | New Zealand |
---|---|---|
Currency | Australian Dollar | New Zealand Dollar |
GDP (nominal) | $1.74 trillion | $249.04 billion |
GDP per capita | $65.43 thousand | $47.54 thousand |
GDP (PPP) | $1.72 trillion | $275.97 billion |
Overview
Australia | New Zealand | |
---|---|---|
Area | around 7.7 million sq km | around 268,000 sq km |
Population | 26.7 million (2024 estimate) | 5.3 million (2024 estimate) |
Capital city | Canberra | Wellington |
Largest city | Sydney | Auckland |
Life expectancy at birth (UN/2023) | 83.92 | 82.09 |
Most spoken language | English | English |
Most popular sport | Australian rules football | Rugby |
Geography
Australia | New Zealand | |
---|---|---|
Region | Oceania | Oceania |
Highest mountain | Mount Kosciuszko (2,228 m) (mainland) | Mount Cook/Aoraki (3,724 m) |
Major rivers | Murray River, Murrumbidgee River, Darling River, Lachlan River, Warrego River, etc. | Waikato River, Clutha River, Whanganui River, Taieri River, Rangitīkei River, etc. |
Longest river | Murray River | Waikato River |
Largest island | Mainland Australia | South Island |
Largest lake | Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre | Lake Taupō |
National animal | Kangaroo and Emu | Kiwi |
Women’s suffrage
- New Zealand was the first self-governing country in the world to give voting rights to women (in 1893).
- In 1902, Australia became the second country in the world to provide voting rights to females. However, Indigenous Australian women were granted the right to vote in 1962.