New Zealand vs United States: Age of democracy
New Zealand
142 years
in 2018
United States
155 years
in 2019
New Zealand rank
3rd
United States rank
2nd
Age of democracy over time
- New Zealand
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 155 years against 142 years in New Zealand, a difference of 13 years.
That makes United States's figure about 1.1 times New Zealand's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 156 shared years of data; in 1857 it was United States ahead.
New Zealand ranks 3rd and United States ranks 2nd of 110 countries.
Across the 17 decades both report, New Zealand averaged higher in 2 and United States in 15.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850s | 2 years | 58 years | 56 years | United States |
| 1860s | 11 years | 3 years | 8 years | New Zealand |
| 1870s | 11.67 years | 10.33 years | 1.33 years | New Zealand |
| 1880s | 8.5 years | 20.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1890s | 18.5 years | 30.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1900s | 28.5 years | 40.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1910s | 38.5 years | 50.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1920s | 48.5 years | 60.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1930s | 58.5 years | 70.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1940s | 68.5 years | 80.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1950s | 78.5 years | 90.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1960s | 88.5 years | 100.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1970s | 98.5 years | 110.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1980s | 108.5 years | 120.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 1990s | 118.5 years | 130.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 2000s | 128.5 years | 140.5 years | 12 years | United States |
| 2010s | 138 years | 150 years | 12 years | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher age of democracy, New Zealand or United States?
- United States, at 155 years against 142 years in New Zealand as of 2019.
- What is the difference in age of democracy between New Zealand and United States?
- 13 years, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and United States?
- 156 years are reported by both, from 1857 to 2018.
- How do New Zealand and United States rank globally for age of democracy?
- New Zealand ranks 3rd and United States ranks 2nd of 110 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Age of democracy. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Number of consecutive years in a democracy.