New Zealand

Government debt in New Zealand

Government debt in New Zealand: 64.1% of GDP in 1985 and 54.7% of GDP in 2025, by IMF estimates.

Latest, 2025
54.7% of GDP
Since 1985
−9.4 percentage points
Rank, 2025
69 of 149
counting from the highest
Projected, 2031
55.4% of GDP
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)
Watch it change on the map

% of GDP · IMF

Government debt in New ZealandGovernment debt in New Zealand: 64.1% of GDP in 1985 and 54.7% of GDP in 2025, by IMF estimates. The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts it at 55.4% of GDP in 2031.
Estimates, IMFIMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026)

What the numbers say

  • The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts it at 55.4% of GDP in 2031.
  • The highest was 68.5% of GDP in 1986, the lowest 16.3% of GDP in 2007.

Every year

% of GDP · IMF

YearNew Zealand
202554.7
202451.4
202347.3
202246.9
202147.6
202043.2
201931.9
201828.1
201731.1
201633.4
201534.2
201434.2
201334.6
201235.7
201134.7
201029.6
200924.3
200819
200716.3
200618.4
200520.8
200422.5
200324.7
200226.4
200128.2
200030
199932
199834.5
199734.6
199637.3
199543.5
199448.9
199354.6
199258.7
199158
199055.5
198954.9
198854.7
198762.9
198668.5
198564.1
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
YearNew Zealand
202657.1
202758
202857.8
202957.1
203056.3
203155.4

Good to know

  • What the government owes, as a share of the economy’s yearly output.
  • Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
  • The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
  • Ranks count the 149 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

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