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 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

54.70%

Checked 23 Oct 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: 47.60 %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 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
50 %
62 of 125 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 54.70 %: −0.00 pp (worse)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %New Zealand: ahead of 50 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtNew Zealand 54.70 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. New Zealand is ahead of 50 % 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 Norway54.00 %−0.70 pp
62 Ecuador54.50 %−0.20 pp
63 New Zealand54.70 %—
64 Cyprus55.00 %+0.30 pp
65 Croatia56.30 %+1.60 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?