placestats

Last European coloniser: United Kingdom · Largest religious group: Religiously Unaffiliated. These are labels that describe the country, not numbers, so they are never compared with other measures. The numbers behind them, such as population shares, are.

New Zealand

Against high income countries, New Zealand ranks 2nd of 72 on education and 54th of 63 on health. Each ranking counts only the countries that report that score, so the totals differ and the two ranks can’t be compared directly. Both compare New Zealand with countries of similar wealth. That is the only kind of ranking that tells you something a ranking by income does not already show.

How it has changed

Every measure New Zealand reports, over all the years it has been published. Pick one. Hover or use the arrow keys to read a year. Gaps in a line are years with no data. They are left open, not filled in.

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Scores by area

Each score averages the measures in one area, such as health. Each measure is first put on a common scale and turned so that higher is always better. Zero is the average country in an average year. One point is a typical gap between countries (a standard deviation), so +1 means about one typical gap above average. These are summaries, not measurements. See how the country scores are built and how the topic scores compare with each other.

ScoreValueRank, all countriesRank, similar incomeMostly income?
Governance score 2025+1.3219 of 17919 of 58moderate +0.53
Health score 2024-0.30147 of 19354 of 63moderate +0.32
Education score 2023+1.442 of 1992 of 72proxy +0.81
Wellbeing score 2022+1.468 of 1108 of 49high +0.80
Infrastructure score 2024+1.5129 of 21028 of 80proxy +0.90
Gender score 2024+1.629 of 1868 of 58moderate +0.37
Environment score 2024+0.2568 of 21325 of 83moderate -0.33
Labour score 2025+0.7238 of 19536 of 67high +0.79

The last column shows how closely each score just tracks national income. The number is its link with GDP per person (the value of everything a country produces, divided by its people), from −1 to +1. A score marked proxy is mostly a measure of how rich the country is. Its rank among all countries says little that GDP per person does not. That is why the rank among similar-income countries sits beside it.

The measures behind them

Every measure reported for New Zealand, grouped by area. Some measures have no agreed better direction, such as population growth, inflation and military spending. They are listed here but left out of every score, since there is no fair way to say which way is better. Some names use technical terms: PPP means adjusted for what money buys in each country, HDI is a United Nations score combining life expectancy, schooling and income, and a Gini indexmeasures how unequally income is shared. Each measure’s own page explains it.

crime

Conflict deaths0per 100,000 people2025higher is worse
Armed conflict present01 if any conflict, else 02025higher is worse
Homicide rate1.46per 100,000 population2022higher is worse

culture

Religious attendance16.8%% of respondents2022no agreed direction
Religion very important14.5%% of respondents2022no agreed direction
Frequent prayer29.6%% of respondents2022no agreed direction
Confidence in religious institutions35.9%% of respondents2022no agreed direction
Divorce rate1.48divorces per 1,000 people2022no agreed direction
Births outside marriage48.7%% of live births2021no agreed direction
Women's age at first marriage29.6years2021no agreed direction
Marriage rate3.68marriages per 1,000 people2022no agreed direction
Religiously unaffiliated51.4%% of population2020no agreed direction
Christian share40.3%% of population2020no agreed direction
Muslim share1.36%% of population2020no agreed direction
Single-parent households8.22%% of households2018no agreed direction
One-person households21.9%% of households2018no agreed direction
Women in a union57.7%% of women aged 15-492018no agreed direction
Marriage rate (UN)3.41marriages per 1,000 people2024no agreed direction
Divorce rate (UN)1.42divorces per 1,000 people2024no agreed direction

demography

Median age37.3years2023no agreed direction
Age at childbearing30.6years2023no agreed direction
Population5,324,700people2025no agreed direction
Population growth0.654%% per year2025no agreed direction
Urbanization84%% of population2025no agreed direction
Population 65+17.6%% of population2025no agreed direction
Population 0-1417.9%% of population2025no agreed direction
Fertility rate1.57births per woman2024no agreed direction
Birth rate11per 1,000 people2024no agreed direction
Net migration17,403people2025no agreed direction
Migrant share of population28.2%% of population2024no agreed direction

economy

Public social spending24.6%% of GDP2022no agreed direction
Family benefits spending2.52%% of GDP2022no agreed direction
Old-age spending5.06%% of GDP2022no agreed direction
Aid given0.273%% of GNI2025no agreed direction
Government spending per capita$23,949current international dollars2024no agreed direction
Corporate tax rate28%% of profit2018no agreed direction
HDI0.938index, 0 to 12023higher is better
Inequality-adjusted HDI0.853index, 0 to 12023higher is better
GDP per capita (PPP)$48,233international $2025higher is better
GNI per capita (PPP)$46,633international $2024higher is better
GDP per capita (market)$41,336US$2025higher is better
GDP growth0.463%% per year2025no agreed direction
Inflation2.84%% per year2025no agreed direction
Trade openness50.7%% of GDP2024no agreed direction
FDI inflows1.37%% of GDP2025no agreed direction
Tax revenue29.5%% of GDP2024no agreed direction
Government consumption21.1%% of GDP2024no agreed direction
Government expense35.5%% of GDP2022no agreed direction
Military spending1.19%% of GDP2024no agreed direction
Employment in agriculture5.42%% of employment2025no agreed direction

education

PISA maths479PISA points2022higher is better
PISA reading501PISA points2022higher is better
PISA science504PISA points2022higher is better
Expected schooling19.3years2023higher is better
Mean years of schooling12.9years2023higher is better
Education spending5.21%% of GDP2023no agreed direction
Primary enrollment96.7%% gross2024higher is better
Secondary enrollment114%% gross2024higher is better
Tertiary enrollment77.2%% gross2024higher is better
Compulsory schooling10years2025no agreed direction
Out of school, primary2.62%% of primary-age children2024higher is worse
Pupil-teacher ratio14.9pupils per teacher2017higher is worse
Researchers5,435per million people2023higher is better

environment

CO2 per capita6.01t CO2e per capita2024higher is worse
Forest area37.8%% of land area2023higher is better
Agricultural land36.9%% of land area2023no agreed direction
Protected land33.4%% of land area2025higher is better

gender

Gender wage gap6.1%% of men's median earnings2014higher is worse
Gender Inequality Index0.082index, 0 to 12023higher is worse
Gender Development Index0.973ratio of women's HDI to men's2023no agreed direction
Women's political empowerment0.937index (0-1)2025higher is better
Women ministers35%% of ministers2024higher is better
Women in parliament45.5%% of seats2025higher is better

governance

Corruption Perceptions Index83index (0-100, higher = cleaner)2024higher is better
Political rights (FH)1rating (1-7, 1 = most free)2025higher is worse
Civil liberties (FH)1rating (1-7, 1 = most free)2025higher is worse
Trust in government50.5%% of respondents2024higher is better
Pre-trial detainee share42.3%% of prisoners2024higher is worse
Refugees originating0.997per 100,000 people2024higher is worse
Electoral democracy0.849index (0-1)2025higher is better
Liberal democracy0.787index (0-1)2025higher is better
Participatory democracy0.581index (0-1)2025higher is better
Free and fair elections0.954index (0-1)2025higher is better
Regime type3regime category (0-3)2025higher is better
Political corruption0.014index (0-1)2025higher is worse
Freedom of expression0.927index (0-1)2025higher is better
Freedom of association0.885index (0-1)2025higher is better
Political civil liberties0.929index (0-1)2025higher is better
Civil society participation0.656index (0-1)2025higher is better
Birth registration100%% of children under 52022higher is better
Control of corruption1.93index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better
Rule of law1.67index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better
Government effectiveness1.85index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better
Regulatory quality1.84index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better
Voice and accountability1.69index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better
Political stability1.15index (approx. -2.5 to 2.5)2024higher is better

health

Life expectancy82years2024higher is better
Infant mortality4per 1,000 live births2024higher is worse
Under-5 mortality4.7per 1,000 live births2024higher is worse
Health spending10.1%% of GDP2024no agreed direction
Suicide rate11.9per 100,0002021higher is worse
Hospital beds2.51per 1,000 people2023no agreed direction
Basic water access100%% of population2024higher is better
Basic sanitation100%% of population2024higher is better
Adolescent fertility10.3births per 1,000 women aged 15-192024higher is worse
Maternal mortality7per 100,000 live births2023higher is worse
Skilled birth attendance96.5%% of births2019higher is better
Alcohol consumption10litres per adult per year2020no agreed direction
Tobacco use9.3%% of adults2024higher is worse
Road traffic deaths9.6per 100,000 population2019higher is worse
Physicians3.61per 1,000 people2022higher is better
DTP3 immunisation89%% of children aged 12-23 months2024higher is better
HIV prevalence0.1%% of adults aged 15-492024higher is worse
Tuberculosis incidence7.9per 100,000 people2024higher is worse
Premature NCD mortality10.3%% probability, ages 30-702021higher is worse
Anaemia in women12.4%% of women aged 15-492023higher is worse
Out-of-pocket health spending12.7%% of health spending2024higher is worse
Undernourishment2.5%% of population2023higher is worse
Food insecurity17.3%% of population2023higher is worse
Adult obesity34%% of adults2024higher is worse
Health coverage index89index, 0 to 1002023higher is better

inequality

Market-income Gini0.457index, 0 to 12022higher is worse
Redistribution28.7%% reduction in the Gini2022no agreed direction

infrastructure

Internet users93.5%% of population2024higher is better
Mobile subscriptions130per 100 people2024higher is better
Electricity access100%% of population2024higher is better
Slum share of urban population0%% of urban population2022higher is worse
Fixed broadband38per 100 people2024higher is better

labor

Active labour market spending0.269%% of GDP2022no agreed direction
Unemployment benefit spending0.533%% of GDP2022no agreed direction
Retirement age, men69.8years2018no agreed direction
Retirement age, women66.4years2018no agreed direction
Hours worked1,752hours per year2016no agreed direction
Unemployment5.08%% of labor force2025higher is worse
Female labor participation66.1%% of women 15+2025no agreed direction
Male labor participation74.7%% of men 15+2025no agreed direction
Youth not in work or study12.8%% of 15 to 24 year olds2024higher is worse
Vulnerable employment12.6%% of employment2025higher is worse

wellbeing

Interpersonal trust56.6%% of respondents2022higher is better
Self-reported happiness92.9%% of respondents2022higher is better
Life satisfaction7score (0-10)2025higher is better

Values are the most recent in 2010–2025, and different measures can come from different years. The year is shown beside each. Nothing here ranks countries by merit. An area score averages whatever measures its publishers happen to collect, and the choice of what to collect is itself a judgement made by someone else. All countries · How the country data works

Countries to compare with New Zealand

Also in East Asia & Pacific: American Samoa, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hong Kong SAR, China, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Korea, Dem. People's Rep., Korea, Rep., Lao PDR, Macao SAR, China, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Fed. Sts., Mongolia, Myanmar, Naoero, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Viet Nam.

Also high income, in other regions: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Austria, Bahamas, The, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Channel Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, and more on the full list of countries.