Fiatmap

MacroNew Zealand

Government debt in New Zealand

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

New Zealand's government debt is 54.70 % — #63 of 124 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

54.70%

Checked 8 Sept 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 0.5 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in New Zealand over time

68.50 %42.40 %16.30 %68.50 % · 198616.30 % · 20071985: 64.10 %1986: 68.50 %1987: 62.90 %1988: 54.70 %1989: 54.90 %1990: 55.50 %1991: 58.00 %1992: 58.70 %1993: 54.60 %1994: 48.90 %1995: 43.50 %1996: 37.30 %1997: 34.60 %1998: 34.50 %1999: 32.00 %2000: 30.00 %2001: 28.20 %2002: 26.40 %2003: 24.70 %2004: 22.50 %2005: 20.80 %2006: 18.40 %2007: 16.30 %2008: 19.00 %2009: 24.30 %2010: 29.60 %2011: 34.70 %2012: 35.70 %2013: 34.60 %2014: 34.20 %2015: 34.20 %2016: 33.40 %2017: 31.10 %2018: 28.10 %2019: 31.80 %2020: 43.20 %2021: 47.50 %2022: 46.90 %2023: 47.30 %2024: 51.40 %2025: 54.70 %19852005202554.70 %
41 official observations, 1985 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#63 of 124
lower is better
Ranked behind
49 %
61 of 124 countries
Latest move
▲ 3.30 pp
since 2024
Below its peak
13.80 pp
peak 68.50 % in 1986
Full series
▼ 9.40 pp
since 1985

vs median 54.55 %: +0.15 pp (worse)

Among 124 countries

5 of 124 countries between 12.30 % and 17.86 %4 of 124 countries between 17.86 % and 23.42 %9 of 124 countries between 23.42 % and 28.97 %9 of 124 countries between 28.97 % and 34.53 %9 of 124 countries between 34.53 % and 40.09 %11 of 124 countries between 40.09 % and 45.65 %8 of 124 countries between 45.65 % and 51.21 %11 of 124 countries between 51.21 % and 56.77 %8 of 124 countries between 56.77 % and 62.32 %7 of 124 countries between 62.32 % and 67.88 %6 of 124 countries between 67.88 % and 73.44 %5 of 124 countries between 73.44 % and 79.00 %6 of 124 countries between 79.00 % and 84.56 %7 of 124 countries between 84.56 % and 90.12 %2 of 124 countries between 90.12 % and 95.67 %3 of 124 countries between 95.67 % and 101.23 %4 of 124 countries between 101.23 % and 106.79 %1 of 124 countries between 106.79 % and 112.35 %2 of 124 countries between 112.35 % and 117.91 %1 of 124 countries between 123.47 % and 129.02 %2 of 124 countries between 134.58 % and 140.14 %4 of 124 countries between 140.14 % and 145.70 %median 54.40 %New Zealand: ahead of 49 % of the 124 countries with a published government debtNew Zealand 54.70 %12.30 %145.70 %
Half of all 124 countries sit between 36.00 % and 80.30 %. New Zealand is ahead of 49 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs New Zealand
61 Algeria54.10 %−0.60 pp
62 Ecuador54.40 %−0.30 pp
63 New Zealand54.70 %—
64 Cyprus55.30 %+0.60 pp
65 Croatia55.90 %+1.20 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about New Zealand

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare New Zealand with another country →Everything about New Zealand →
Did this answer your question?