Central government debt, total in New Zealand
New Zealand: Central government debt, total was 52.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Central government debt, total in New Zealand, 2002–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 52.0% for central government debt, total in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 18.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, central government debt, total in New Zealand peaked at 53.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 31.9%, in 2009.
That places New Zealand 45th out of 83 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Central government debt, total in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 32.8% | — |
| 2003 | 48.2% | +47.2% |
| 2004 | 43.9% | -9.1% |
| 2005 | 44.2% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 43.0% | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 37.0% | -13.9% |
| 2008 | 36.0% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 31.9% | -11.5% |
| 2010 | 34.7% | +9.0% |
| 2011 | 48.1% | +38.5% |
| 2012 | 51.6% | +7.2% |
| 2013 | 46.4% | -9.9% |
| 2014 | 43.9% | -5.5% |
| 2015 | 42.9% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 41.4% | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 38.7% | -6.6% |
| 2018 | 36.7% | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 32.8% | -10.6% |
| 2020 | 45.7% | +39.4% |
| 2021 | 51.4% | +12.4% |
| 2022 | 53.9% | +5.0% |
| 2023 | 49.9% | -7.5% |
| 2024 | 52.0% | +4.2% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 52.0% is below the median for high income countries, which is 61.2%, 85% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 52.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 49.9%, 1.0× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39.6% | 31.9% | 48.2% | 8 |
| 2010s | 41.7% | 32.8% | 51.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.6% | 45.7% | 53.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More economy & growth data for New Zealand
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.71 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.37 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 23.86 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0001 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 4.48 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 3.61 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 104.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0137 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 677.46 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 27.59 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is central government debt, total in New Zealand?
- Central government debt, total in New Zealand was 52.0% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest central government debt, total recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 53.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest central government debt, total recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.9% in 2009.
- How does New Zealand rank for central government debt, total?
- New Zealand ranks 45th out of 83 countries with data for 2024.
- Is central government debt, total rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Central government debt, total (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Debt is the entire stock of direct government fixed-term contractual obligations to others outstanding on a particular date. It includes domestic and foreign liabilities such as currency and money deposits, securities other than shares, and loans. It is the gross amount of government liabilities reduced by the amount of equity and financial derivatives held by the government. Because debt is a stock rather than a flow, it is measured as of a given date, usually the last day of the fiscal year. Central government is the part of general government that includes all administrative departments of the national executive, legislative, and judicial functions, other central agencies and those non-market producers controlled by the central government, whose competence extends normally over the whole economic territory. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.