Military spending as a share of GDP in New Zealand
New Zealand: Military spending as a share of GDP was 1.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.1%
Change on year
down 5.1%
World rank
116th
of 166 countries
All-time high
3.1%
in 1956
All-time low
1.0%
in 2015
Years of data
70
1956–2025
Military spending as a share of GDP in New Zealand, 1956–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, military spending as a share of gdp in New Zealand stood at 1.1%.
The figure is down 5.1% on the previous year and up 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending as a share of gdp in New Zealand peaked at 3.1% in 1956 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 2015.
New Zealand ranks 116th of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 70 years of available data.
Military spending as a share of GDP in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 3.1% | — |
| 1957 | 2.9% | -8.1% |
| 1958 | 2.8% | -1.2% |
| 1959 | 2.8% | -0.3% |
| 1960 | 2.7% | -4.5% |
| 1961 | 2.5% | -7.6% |
| 1962 | 2.3% | -7.1% |
| 1963 | 2.2% | -4.8% |
| 1964 | 2.5% | +12.5% |
| 1965 | 2.4% | -4.7% |
| 1966 | 2.6% | +12.0% |
| 1967 | 2.6% | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 2.7% | +4.0% |
| 1969 | 2.6% | -5.9% |
| 1970 | 2.6% | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 2.3% | -12.0% |
| 1972 | 2.2% | -5.8% |
| 1973 | 2.0% | -9.6% |
| 1974 | 2.1% | +4.7% |
| 1975 | 2.1% | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 1.9% | -7.1% |
| 1977 | 2.1% | +9.3% |
| 1978 | 2.2% | +4.4% |
| 1979 | 2.2% | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 3.0% | +40.0% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | -9.7% |
| 1982 | 2.6% | -5.4% |
| 1983 | 2.4% | -5.6% |
| 1984 | 2.4% | -2.5% |
| 1985 | 2.4% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 2.4% | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 2.1% | -12.1% |
| 1989 | 2.2% | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 2.3% | +6.0% |
| 1991 | 2.3% | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 2.1% | -8.0% |
| 1993 | 1.9% | -7.7% |
| 1994 | 1.9% | -4.3% |
| 1995 | 1.8% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 1.7% | -4.1% |
| 1998 | 1.7% | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 1.6% | -3.6% |
| 2000 | 1.6% | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 1.5% | -6.0% |
| 2002 | 1.4% | -6.7% |
| 2003 | 1.3% | -5.2% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | -11.4% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | +8.9% |
| 2007 | 1.2% | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 1.2% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 1.2% | +5.8% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 1.0% | -6.5% |
| 2014 | 1.0% | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 1.3% | +17.0% |
| 2020 | 1.3% | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 1.2% | -13.1% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | +3.7% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | -3.2% |
| 2025 | 1.1% | -5.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.9% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 4 |
| 1960s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.2% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.5% | 2.1% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.9% | 1.6% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 6 |
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 military spending as a share of gdp in New Zealand?
- Military spending as a share of gdp in New Zealand was 1.1% in 2025, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 3.1% in 1956.
- What is the lowest military spending as a share of gdp recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 2015.
- How does New Zealand rank for military spending as a share of gdp?
- New Zealand ranks 116th out of 166 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Total military expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage.