New Zealand

Australia and Oceania Wellington

Population

5.16M

Area

268,838 km²

GDP

$260.24B

GDP Per Capita

$48,200

Pop. Density

19/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

$New Zealand dollar(NZD)

Calling Code

+64

Primary Timezone

UTC-11:00

+4 more

Languages

English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language

Driving Side

left

Demonym

New Zealander

Background

Polynesians settled New Zealand between the late 1200s and the mid-1300s. They called the land Aotearoa, which legend holds is the name of the canoe that Kupe, the first Polynesian in New Zealand, used to sail to the country; the name Aotearoa is now in widespread use as the local Maori name for the country. By the 1500s, competition for land and resources led to intermittent fighting between different Maori tribes as large game became extinct. Dutch explorer Abel TASMAN was the first European to see the islands in 1642 but left after an encounter with local Maori. British sea captain James COOK arrived in 1769, followed by whalers, sealers, and traders. The UK only nominally claimed New Zealand and included it as part of New South Wales in Australia. Concerns about increasing lawlessness led the UK to appoint its first British Resident in New Zealand in 1832, although the position had few legal powers. In 1835, some Maori tribes from the North Island declared independence. Fearing an impending French settlement and takeover, the majority of Maori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi with the British in 1840. Land tenure issues stemming from the treaty are still being actively negotiated in New Zealand.

The UK declared New Zealand a separate colony in 1841 and granted limited self-government in 1852. Different traditions of authority and land use led to a series of wars between Europeans and various Maori tribes from the 1840s to the 1870s. Along with disease, these conflicts halved the Maori population. In the 1890s, New Zealand initially expressed interest in joining independence talks with Australia but ultimately opted against it and changed its status to an independent dominion in 1907. New Zealand provided more than 100,000 troops during each World War, many of whom fought as part of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). New Zealand reaffirmed its independence in 1947 and signed the Australia, New Zealand, and US (ANZUS) Treaty in 1951.

Beginning in 1984, New Zealand began to adopt nuclear-free policies, contributing to a dispute with the US over naval ship visits that led the US to suspend its defense obligations to New Zealand in 1986, but bilateral relations and military ties have been revitalized since the 2010s with new security agreements. A key challenge for Auckland that has emerged over the past decade is balancing concerns over China’s growing influence in the Pacific region with its role as New Zealand's largest export destination. New Zealand has close ties with Australia based to a large extent on the two nations’ common origins as British colonies and their shared military history.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑133.3% since 2006

$112B (2006)$260B (2024)

Population

↑26.4% since 2006

4.2M (2006)5.3M (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 83.0 years

2006: 80.0 years2023: 83.0 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography18

Location

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates

41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references

Oceania

Area

total : 268,838 sq km
land: 264,537 sq km
water: 4,301 sq km

Area - comparative

almost twice the size of North Carolina; about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

15,134 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain

predominately mountainous with large coastal plains

Elevation

highest point: Aoraki/Mount Cook 3,724 m; note - the mountain's height was 3,764 m until 14 December 1991 when it lost about 10 m in an avalanche of rock and ice; erosion of the ice cap since then has brought the height down another 30 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 388 m

Natural resources

natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone

Land use

agricultural land

36.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 34.6% (2023 est.)

forest

38.6% (2023 est.)

other

24.5% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

7,000 sq km (2014)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lake Taupo - 610 sq km

Population distribution

over three quarters of New Zealanders, including the Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas

Natural hazards

earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

volcanism: significant volcanism on North Island; Ruapehu (2,797 m) has a history of large eruptions in the past century; Taranaki has the potential to produce dangerous avalanches and lahars; other historically active volcanoes include Okataina, Raoul Island, Tongariro, and White Island; see note 2 under "Geography - note"

Geography - note

note 1: consists of two main islands and a number of smaller islands; South Island, the larger main island, is the 12th-largest island in the world and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps; North Island is the 14th-largest island in the world and is not as mountainous, but it is marked by volcanism

note 2: New Zealand lies along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes

note 3: almost 90% of the population lives in cities and over three-quarters on North Island; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world

People & Society33

Population

total: 5,161,211 (2024 est.)
male: 2,584,607
female: 2,576,604

Nationality

noun: New Zealander(s)
adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups

European 64.1%, Maori 16.5%, Chinese 4.9%, Indian 4.7%, Samoan 3.9%, Tongan 1.8%, Cook Islands Maori 1.7%, English 1.5%, Filipino 1.5%, New Zealander 1%, other 13.7% (2018 est.)

Languages

English (de facto official) 95.4%, Maori (de jure official) 4%, Samoan 2.2%, Northern Chinese 2%, Hindi 1.5%, French 1.2%, Yue 1.1%, New Zealand Sign Language (de jure official) 0.5%, other or not stated 17.2% (2018 est.)

Religions

Christian 37.3% (Catholic 10.1%, Anglican 6.8%, Presbyterian and Congregational 5.2%, Pentecostal 1.8%, Methodist 1.6%, Church of Jesus Christ 1.2%, other 10.7%), Hindu 2.7%, Maori 1.3%, Muslim, 1.3%, Buddhist 1.1%, other religion 1.6% (includes Judaism, Spiritualism and New Age religions, Baha'i, Asian religions other than Buddhism), no religion 48.6%, objected to answering 6.7% (2018 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 19% (male 503,120/female 475,490)
15-64 years: 64.2% (male 1,674,407/female 1,638,276)
65 years and over: 16.9% (2024 est.) (male 407,080/female 462,838)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 55.8 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 29.5 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 26.3 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 3.8 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 38.1 years (2025 est.)
male: 37.2 years
female: 38.6 years

Population growth rate

0.83% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

12.4 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

6.93 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

2.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

over three quarters of New Zealanders, including the Maori, live on the North Island, primarily in urban areas

Urbanization

urban population: 87% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.92% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.673 million Auckland, 422,000 WELLINGTON (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

27.8 years

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 3.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 82.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 81.2 years
female: 84.8 years

Total fertility rate

1.84 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.9 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 10% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 19.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

3.61 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

30.8% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 9.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 2.88 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 1.62 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 10% (2025 est.)
male: 11.2% (2025 est.)
female: 8.9% (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.7% (2018 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 5.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 12.7% national budget (2023 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 19 years (2023 est.)
male: 19 years (2023 est.)
female: 20 years (2023 est.)

Government25

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: New Zealand
former: Nieuw Zeeland
abbreviation: NZ
etymology: the name is an anglicized form of the Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, or "New Sea Land," which was first used in 1643 in honor of the Dutch province of Zeeland

Government type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Capital

name

Wellington

geographic coordinates

41 18 S, 174 47 E

time difference

UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

time zone note

New Zealand has two time zones: New Zealand standard time (UTC+12) and Chatham Islands time (45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time; UTC+12:45)

etymology

named in 1840 after Arthur WELLESLEY, the first Duke of Wellington, who was famous for his victory at Waterloo in 1815 and was a benefactor of the New Zealand Company that settled North Island

Administrative divisions

16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast

Dependent areas

Tokelau (1)

Legal system

common law system, based on English model, with special legislation and land courts for the Maori

Constitution

history: New Zealand has no single constitution document; the Constitution Act 1986, effective 1 January 1987, includes only part of the uncodified constitution; others include a collection of statutes or "acts of Parliament," the Treaty of Waitangi, Orders in Council, letters patent, court decisions, and unwritten conventions
amendment process: proposed as bill by Parliament or by referendum called either by the government or by citizens; passage of a bill as an act normally requires two separate readings with committee reviews in between to make changes and corrections, a third reading approved by the House of Representatives membership or by the majority of votes in a referendum, and assent of the governor-general; passage of amendments to reserved constitutional provisions affecting the term of Parliament, electoral districts, and voting restrictions requires approval by 75% of the House membership or the majority of votes in a referendum

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of New Zealand
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor-General Dame Cindy KIRO (since 21 October 2021)
head of government: Prime Minister Christopher LUXON (since 27 November 2023)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor-general on the recommendation of the prime minister
election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor-general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the governor-general appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister also appointed by the governor-general

Legislative branch

legislature name

House of Representatives

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

120 (all directly elected)

electoral system

mixed system

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

3 years

most recent election date

10/14/2023

parties elected and seats per party

National Party (49); Labour Party (34); Green Party (14); ACT New Zealand (11); New Zealand First (8); Te Pāti Māori (4); Others (2)

percentage of women in chamber

45.1%

expected date of next election

September 2026

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of 5 justices, including the chief justice)
judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor-general upon the recommendation of the attorney- general; justices appointed until compulsory retirement at age 70
subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; tribunals and authorities; district courts; specialized courts for issues related to employment, environment, family, Maori lands, youth, military; tribunals

Political parties

ACT New Zealand
Green Party
New Zealand First Party or NZ First
Labor Party
National Party
Te Pāti Māori

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Rosemary BANKS (since 17 June 2024)

chancery

37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 328-4800

FAX

[1] (202) 667-5277

email address and website

wshinfo@mfat.govt.nz

https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/countries-and-regions/americas/united-states-of-america/

consulate(s) general

Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires David GEHRENBECK (since January 2025); note - also accredited to Samoa

embassy

29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 6011

mailing address

4370 Auckland Place, Washington DC  20521-4370

telephone

[64] (4) 462-6000

FAX

[64] (4) 499-0490

email address and website

AucklandACS@state.gov

https://nz.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general

Auckland

International organization participation

ADB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CD, CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, FATF, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club (associate), PCA, PIF, SICA (observer), Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNTSO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

26 September 1907 (from the UK)

National holiday

Waitangi Day, 6 February (1840); Anzac Day, 25 April (1915)

Flag

description: blue with the UK flag in the upper-left quadrant, with four five-pointed red stars edged in white centered in the right half of the flag

meaning: the stars represent the Southern Cross constellation

National symbol(s)

Southern Cross constellation (four five-pointed stars), kiwi (bird), silver fern

National color(s)

black, white, red (ochre)

National coat of arms

the first quarter of the shield shows four stars that represent the Southern Cross constellation and three ships that symbolize New Zealand's sea trade; in the second quarter, a fleece represents the sheep farming industry; the wheat sheaf in the third quarter represents the agricultural industry; the crossed hammers in the fourth quarter represent mining; the Māori chieftain holds a taiaha (a Māori war weapon) and a European woman holds the New Zealand flag; St. Edward's crown, shown above the shield, symbolizes the British monarch

National anthem(s)

title: "God Save the King"
lyrics/music: unknown
history: royal anthem and one of two official national anthems; usually played only when a member of the royal family or a representative is present or when allegiance to the crown is demonstrated

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 natural, 1 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand (n); Tongariro National Park (m); New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands (n)

Economy28

Economic overview

high-income, globally integrated Pacific island economy; strong agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism sectors; reliant on Chinese market for exports; recovery trajectory following deep post-pandemic recession; challenges of fiscal deficits, below-average productivity, cost of living, and drop in net migration

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $257.117 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $257.443 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $253.903 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: -0.1% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 3.5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $48,200 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $49,100 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $49,600 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$260.236 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 2.9% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 5.7% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 7.2% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 4.6% (2022 est.)
industry: 19.6% (2022 est.)
services: 67.4% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

57.5% (2022 est.)

government consumption

20.9% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

25.4% (2022 est.)

investment in inventories

0.9% (2022 est.)

exports of goods and services

24% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-29.4% (2022 est.)

Agricultural products

milk, beef, kiwifruit, apples, grapes, lamb/mutton, potatoes, wheat, barley, chicken (2023)

Industries

agriculture, forestry, fishing, logs and wood articles, manufacturing, mining, construction, financial services, real estate services, tourism

Industrial production growth rate

-1% (2023 est.)

Labor force

3.124 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 4.9% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 3.8% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 3.3% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 14.3% (2024 est.)
male: 14.6% (2024 est.)
female: 14% (2024 est.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 12.8% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco: 4.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2023: 0.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Budget

revenues: $83.167 billion (2022 est.)
expenditures: $91.782 billion (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2022: 54% of GDP (2022 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

29.6% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2024: -$15.978 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: -$17.065 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$21.627 billion (2022 est.)

Exports

Exports 2024: $61.799 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $59.029 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $57.485 billion (2022 est.)

Exports - partners

China 28%, USA 12%, Australia 12%, Japan 6%, S. Korea 3% (2023)

Exports - commodities

milk, wood, beef, butter, sheep and goat meat (2023)

Imports

Imports 2024: $67.998 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $68.412 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $71.35 billion (2022 est.)

Imports - partners

China 20%, Australia 11%, USA 9%, S. Korea 7%, Japan 7% (2023)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment, trucks (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $22.065 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $15.487 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $14.4 billion (2022 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

New Zealand dollars (NZD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

1.652 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.628 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.577 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.414 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1.542 (2020 est.)

Energy7

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 10.643 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 40.794 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 3.058 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

12.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

59.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

geothermal

17.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste

1.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

production: 3.011 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption: 2.696 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 906,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 283,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 6.75 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 12,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 154,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 40.993 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 3.97 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 3.891 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 31.149 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 121.647 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 660,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 13 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 6.56 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 115 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned Television New Zealand operates multiple TV networks; state-owned Radio New Zealand operates 3 radio networks and an external shortwave radio service to the South Pacific region; a small number of national commercial TV and radio stations and many regional commercial TV and radio stations are available; cable and satellite TV systems are available (2019)

Internet country code

.nz

Internet users

percent of population: 96% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 1.93 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 37 (2023 est.)

Transportation6

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

206 (2025)

Heliports

62 (2025)

Railways

total: 4,128 km (2018)
narrow gauge: 4,128 km (2018) 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified)

Merchant marine

total: 117 (2023)
by type: container ship 2, general cargo 12, oil tanker 3, other 100

Ports

total ports

22 (2024)

large

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

Auckland, Bluff Harbor, Gisborne, Manukau Harbor, Napier, Nelson, New Plymouth, Otago Harbor, Picton, Tauranga, Timaru, Wellington, Whangarei

Military & Security7

Military and security forces

New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF): New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air Force (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2024: 1.2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 8,800 active (Regular Force) New Zealand Defense Forces (4,300 Army; 2,100 Navy; 2,400 Air Force) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the NZDF's inventory is comprised of domestically produced and Western-supplied weapons and equipment, including from Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US (2025)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; soldiers cannot be deployed until the age of 18; no conscription (2025)

Military deployments

small numbers of NZ military personnel are deployed on a variety of international missions in Africa, Antarctica, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East (2025)

Military - note

the NZDF is responsible for protecting New Zealand’s sovereignty, promoting its interests, safeguarding peace and security, and conducting peacekeeping, humanitarian, and other international missions

New Zealand is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily

New Zealand has been part of the Australia, New Zealand, and US Security (ANZUS) Treaty since 1951; however, the US suspended its ANZUS security obligations to New Zealand in 1986 after Auckland implemented a policy barring nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered warships from its ports; the US and New Zealand signed the Wellington Declaration in 2010, which reaffirmed close ties between the two countries, and in 2012 signed the Washington Declaration, which provided a framework for future security cooperation and defense dialogues; in 2016, a US naval ship conducted the first bilateral warship visit to New Zealand since the 1980s; New Zealand has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation (2025)

Transnational Issues1

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees: 5,622 (2024 est.)
IDPs: 26 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 29 (2024 est.)

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