Australia vs New Zealand — Country Comparison

The flag of Australia has a dark blue field. It features the flag of the United Kingdom — the Union Jack — in the canton, beneath which is a large white seven-pointed star. A representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of one small five-pointed and four larger seven-pointed white stars, is situated on the fly side of the field.Australia VS The flag of New Zealand has a dark blue field with the flag of the United Kingdom — the Union Jack — in the canton and a representation of the Southern Cross constellation, made up of four five-pointed white-edged red stars, on the fly side of the field.New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand side by side: Australia is the larger country (7,692,024 km² vs 268,838 km², roughly 28.6× the size), while Australia has the bigger population (27.5 million vs 5.3 million). The full comparison table below covers capitals, currencies, languages, dialling codes, timezones and more.

Facts last checked 9 October 2026.

FactAustraliaNew Zealand
CapitalCanberraWellington
Population27,536,8745,324,700
Area7,692,024 km²268,838 km²
CurrencyAustralian dollarNew Zealand dollar
LanguagesEnglishEnglish, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Dialling code+61+64
Main timezoneUTC+10:00UTC+12:00
Drives on theLeftLeft
RegionAustralia and New ZealandAustralia and New Zealand
Emergency number000 (or 112 from mobiles)111

Key differences: Australia vs New Zealand

Want the full picture for each country? See Australia and New Zealand, or compare their population pages: Australia · New Zealand.

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Australia vs New Zealand — FAQ

Which is bigger, Australia or New Zealand?

Australia is bigger by area: 7,692,024 km² vs 268,838 km², roughly 28.6× the size of New Zealand.

Is Australia bigger than New Zealand?

Yes — Australia covers 7,692,024 km², compared to 268,838 km² for New Zealand.

Which has more people, Australia or New Zealand?

Australia has the larger population: 27,536,874 (27.5 million) vs 5,324,700 (5.3 million).

How does the size of Australia compare to New Zealand?

Australia (7,692,024 km²) is about 28.6× larger than New Zealand (268,838 km²).

Do Australia and New Zealand use the same currency?

No — Australia uses the Australian dollar and New Zealand uses the New Zealand dollar.

Are Australia and New Zealand on the same continent?

Yes — both are in Oceania.

What is the time difference between Australia and New Zealand?

New Zealand is 2 hours ahead of Australia (UTC+10:00 vs UTC+12:00), not accounting for daylight saving changes.

Do Australia and New Zealand share an official language?

Yes — both share English as an official language.

Do Australia and New Zealand share a border?

No — Australia and New Zealand do not share a land border.

Which is more densely populated, Australia or New Zealand?

New Zealand is more densely populated at roughly 20 people per km², compared to 4 for Australia.

How far is Australia from New Zealand?

The distance between the geographic centres of Australia and New Zealand is roughly 4,040 km (2,510 miles) in a straight line. Actual travel distances between cities will differ.

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