Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand

New Zealand: Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre was 24.92 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
24.92 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 10.2%
World rank
166th
of 212 countries
All-time high
24.92 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
0 units per square kilometre
in 1965
Years of data
51
1965–2023

Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand, 1965–2023

0510152025196519942023

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.

Analysis

In 2023, mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand stood at 24.92 units per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

The figure is up 10.2% on the previous year and up 37.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand peaked at 24.92 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0 units per square kilometre, in 1965.

That places New Zealand 166th out of 212 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand, 1965 to 2023.
Year units per square kilometre Change
1965 0 units per square kilometre —
1970 0 units per square kilometre —
1975 0 units per square kilometre —
1976 0 units per square kilometre —
1977 0 units per square kilometre —
1978 0 units per square kilometre —
1979 0 units per square kilometre —
1980 0 units per square kilometre —
1981 0 units per square kilometre —
1982 0 units per square kilometre —
1983 0 units per square kilometre —
1984 0 units per square kilometre —
1985 0 units per square kilometre —
1986 0 units per square kilometre —
1987 0.0091 units per square kilometre —
1988 0.038 units per square kilometre +316.7%
1989 0.1098 units per square kilometre +189.0%
1990 0.2055 units per square kilometre +87.2%
1991 0.2746 units per square kilometre +33.6%
1992 0.3805 units per square kilometre +38.6%
1993 0.5461 units per square kilometre +43.5%
1994 0.9084 units per square kilometre +66.3%
1995 1.39 units per square kilometre +52.6%
1996 1.87 units per square kilometre +35.0%
1997 2.15 units per square kilometre +14.9%
1998 3 units per square kilometre +39.5%
1999 5.3 units per square kilometre +76.6%
2000 5.86 units per square kilometre +10.5%
2001 8.69 units per square kilometre +48.4%
2002 9.3 units per square kilometre +7.0%
2003 9.87 units per square kilometre +6.1%
2004 11.5 units per square kilometre +16.5%
2005 13.41 units per square kilometre +16.6%
2006 14.44 units per square kilometre +7.7%
2007 16.15 units per square kilometre +11.8%
2008 17.55 units per square kilometre +8.7%
2009 17.85 units per square kilometre +1.7%
2010 17.89 units per square kilometre +0.2%
2011 18.31 units per square kilometre +2.3%
2012 18.69 units per square kilometre +2.1%
2013 18.1 units per square kilometre -3.2%
2014 19.37 units per square kilometre +7.0%
2015 21.27 units per square kilometre +9.8%
2016 23.17 units per square kilometre +8.9%
2017 24.31 units per square kilometre +4.9%
2018 24 units per square kilometre -1.3%
2019 22.83 units per square kilometre -4.9%
2020 23.68 units per square kilometre +3.7%
2021 22.2 units per square kilometre -6.3%
2022 22.6 units per square kilometre +1.8%
2023 24.92 units per square kilometre +10.2%

New Zealand compared with similar countries

  • New Zealand's 24.92 units per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 156.89 units per square kilometre, 16% of the median. (82 countries reporting)
  • New Zealand's 24.92 units per square kilometre is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 100.38 units per square kilometre, 25% of the median. (37 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1988 +316.7% 0.0091 units per square kilometre 0.038 units per square kilometre
1989 +189.0% 0.038 units per square kilometre 0.1098 units per square kilometre
1990 +87.2% 0.1098 units per square kilometre 0.2055 units per square kilometre

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 0 units per square kilometre 0 units per square kilometre 0 units per square kilometre 1
1970s 0 units per square kilometre 0 units per square kilometre 0 units per square kilometre 6
1980s 0.0157 units per square kilometre 0 units per square kilometre 0.1098 units per square kilometre 10
1990s 1.6 units per square kilometre 0.2055 units per square kilometre 5.3 units per square kilometre 10
2000s 12.46 units per square kilometre 5.86 units per square kilometre 17.85 units per square kilometre 10
2010s 20.79 units per square kilometre 17.89 units per square kilometre 24.31 units per square kilometre 10
2020s 23.35 units per square kilometre 22.2 units per square kilometre 24.92 units per square kilometre 4

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 163 Uruguay 27.43 units per square kilometre compare
  2. 164 Turks and Caicos Islands 26.41 units per square kilometre compare
  3. 165 Brazil 25.52 units per square kilometre compare
  4. 167 Democratic Republic of Congo 24.82 units per square kilometre compare
  5. 168 Saudi Arabia 24.41 units per square kilometre compare
  6. 169 Djibouti 24.1 units per square kilometre compare

See the full ranking of 259 places →

More infrastructure data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand?
Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand was 24.92 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 24.92 units per square kilometre in 2023.
What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 0 units per square kilometre in 1965.
How does New Zealand rank for mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre?
New Zealand ranks 166th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
Is mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 37.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 03 October 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-per-square-kilometre/new-zealand/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page; please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-per-square-kilometre/new-zealand/">Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in New Zealand</a> — Statizoid

How this figure is calculated

Mobile cellular subscriptions divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.

Mobile cellular subscriptions ÷ Land area (sq. km)

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre
Unit
units per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
259 places, 11,974 data points, 1965–2023
Last refreshed

Mobile cellular subscriptions divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.