New Zealand Sheep Outnumber Humans 4.5 to 1, Report Reveals May 8, 2025

New Zealand continues to have more sheep than people, with 23.6 million sheep compared to 5.3 million people, resulting in about 4.5 sheep per New Zealander. However, this is down from 22 sheep per person in 1982, when sheep farming was a major industry, driven by meat and wool exports.

The decrease is attributed to falling wool prices due to a global shift to synthetic fibers, prompting farmers to adjust land use practices. The country’s sheep population still significantly outnumbers its human population, but the gap is slowly narrowing as the number of people continues to rise.

The vast number of sheep has long been a humorous topic abroad, but with these changes, humans are gradually catching up.