Age of full democracy in New Zealand
New Zealand: Age of full democracy was 80 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
80
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
1st
of 89 countries
All-time high
80
in 2025
All-time low
1
in 1893
Years of data
122
1893–2025
Age of full democracy in New Zealand, 1893–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, age of full democracy in New Zealand stood at 80. That is the highest value across all 122 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age of full democracy in New Zealand peaked at 80 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1, in 1893.
That places New Zealand 1st out of 89 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Age of full democracy in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1893 | 1 | — |
| 1894 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1895 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1896 | 4 | +33.3% |
| 1897 | 5 | +25.0% |
| 1898 | 6 | +20.0% |
| 1899 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 1900 | 8 | +14.3% |
| 1901 | 9 | +12.5% |
| 1902 | 10 | +11.1% |
| 1903 | 11 | +10.0% |
| 1904 | 12 | +9.1% |
| 1905 | 13 | +8.3% |
| 1906 | 14 | +7.7% |
| 1907 | 15 | +7.1% |
| 1908 | 16 | +6.7% |
| 1909 | 17 | +6.2% |
| 1910 | 18 | +5.9% |
| 1911 | 19 | +5.6% |
| 1912 | 20 | +5.3% |
| 1913 | 21 | +5.0% |
| 1919 | 1 | -95.2% |
| 1920 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1921 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1922 | 4 | +33.3% |
| 1923 | 5 | +25.0% |
| 1924 | 6 | +20.0% |
| 1925 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 1926 | 8 | +14.3% |
| 1927 | 9 | +12.5% |
| 1928 | 10 | +11.1% |
| 1929 | 11 | +10.0% |
| 1930 | 12 | +9.1% |
| 1931 | 13 | +8.3% |
| 1932 | 14 | +7.7% |
| 1933 | 15 | +7.1% |
| 1934 | 16 | +6.7% |
| 1935 | 17 | +6.2% |
| 1936 | 18 | +5.9% |
| 1937 | 19 | +5.6% |
| 1938 | 20 | +5.3% |
| 1939 | 21 | +5.0% |
| 1946 | 1 | -95.2% |
| 1947 | 2 | +100.0% |
| 1948 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 1949 | 4 | +33.3% |
| 1950 | 5 | +25.0% |
| 1951 | 6 | +20.0% |
| 1952 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 1953 | 8 | +14.3% |
| 1954 | 9 | +12.5% |
| 1955 | 10 | +11.1% |
| 1956 | 11 | +10.0% |
| 1957 | 12 | +9.1% |
| 1958 | 13 | +8.3% |
| 1959 | 14 | +7.7% |
| 1960 | 15 | +7.1% |
| 1961 | 16 | +6.7% |
| 1962 | 17 | +6.2% |
| 1963 | 18 | +5.9% |
| 1964 | 19 | +5.6% |
| 1965 | 20 | +5.3% |
| 1966 | 21 | +5.0% |
| 1967 | 22 | +4.8% |
| 1968 | 23 | +4.5% |
| 1969 | 24 | +4.3% |
| 1970 | 25 | +4.2% |
| 1971 | 26 | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 27 | +3.8% |
| 1973 | 28 | +3.7% |
| 1974 | 29 | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 30 | +3.4% |
| 1976 | 31 | +3.3% |
| 1977 | 32 | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 33 | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 34 | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 35 | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 36 | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 37 | +2.8% |
| 1983 | 38 | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 39 | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 40 | +2.6% |
| 1986 | 41 | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 42 | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 43 | +2.4% |
| 1989 | 44 | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 45 | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 46 | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 47 | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 48 | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 49 | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 50 | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 51 | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 52 | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 53 | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 54 | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 55 | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 56 | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 57 | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 58 | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 59 | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 60 | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 61 | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 62 | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 63 | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 64 | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 65 | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 66 | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 67 | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 68 | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 69 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 70 | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 71 | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 72 | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 73 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 74 | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 75 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 76 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 77 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 78 | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 79 | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 80 | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 4 | 1 | 7 | 7 |
| 1900s | 12.5 | 8 | 17 | 10 |
| 1910s | 15.8 | 1 | 21 | 5 |
| 1920s | 6.5 | 2 | 11 | 10 |
| 1930s | 16.5 | 12 | 21 | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.5 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 1950s | 9.5 | 5 | 14 | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.5 | 15 | 24 | 10 |
| 1970s | 29.5 | 25 | 34 | 10 |
| 1980s | 39.5 | 35 | 44 | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.5 | 45 | 54 | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.5 | 55 | 64 | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.5 | 65 | 74 | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.5 | 75 | 80 | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More social development data for New Zealand
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 2,148 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 58 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh 1 (2025)
- Democracy lexical 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 58 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age of full democracy in New Zealand?
- Age of full democracy in New Zealand was 80 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age of full democracy recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 80 in 2025.
- What is the lowest age of full democracy recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1893.
- How does New Zealand rank for age of full democracy?
- New Zealand ranks 1st out of 89 countries with data for 2025.
- Is age of full democracy rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Age of full democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 122 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).