Updated
Overview
Canada has 7.8 times the population of New Zealand: 41.65 million people against 5.32 million (2025).
Canada's economy is 8.8 times the size of New Zealand's, at $2.32T versus $264.06B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Canada | New Zealand | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $2.32T | $264.06B | 2025 | $2.24T / $260.24B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $55,698 | $49,591 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 1.7% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.1% | 2.8% | 2025 | 2.4% / 2.9% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | Lower: 5.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 83 | 86 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $4,121 | $3,798 | 2025 / 2022 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $2,106 | Higher: $2,427 | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $5.81 | $5.14 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 41.65 million | 5.32 million | 2025 | 39.19 million / 5.16 million |
| Population growth | 0.9% | 0.7% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 40.6 yrs | 37.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.33 | 1.65 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 82.1 yrs | 82.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 83% | 84% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 94% | 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 9,984,670 km² | 270,467 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 4.2/km² | 19.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 533 Mt | Lower: 32 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 13.4 t | Lower: 6.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $29.35B | $3.00B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.3% | 1.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 72,000 | 10,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Canada is growing faster: 1.7% annual GDP growth versus 0.5%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.1% in Canada and 2.8% in New Zealand.
Average monthly earnings favour Canada: $4,121 against $3,798 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
New Zealand is the younger society: median age 37.7 versus 40.6 years.
Geography
By land area, Canada is 37 times the size of New Zealand: 9,984,670 km² versus 270,467 km².
New Zealand is far more densely settled: 20 people per km² against 4.
Military
Canada spends 9.8 times as much on defence as New Zealand: $29.35B versus $3.00B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Canada fields the larger armed forces: 72,000 personnel against 10,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Canada bigger than New Zealand?
- Canada is larger by land area. Canada covers 9,984,670 km² while New Zealand covers 270,467 km², so Canada is 37 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Canada or New Zealand?
- Canada has the larger population: 41.65 million versus 5.32 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Canada richer than New Zealand?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Canada is richer: $55,698 against $49,591. Total GDP tells the same story: $2.32T for Canada versus $264.06B for New Zealand.
- Who spends more on their military, Canada or New Zealand?
- Canada spends more: $29.35B versus $3.00B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).