Homicides by firearm in New Zealand
New Zealand: Homicides by firearm was 12 homicides in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Homicides by firearm in New Zealand, 2007–2022
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 12 homicides for homicides by firearm in 2022.
That represents a change of up 20.0% on the previous year and up 300.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides by firearm in New Zealand peaked at 61 homicides in 2019 and was at its lowest, 3 homicides, in 2011.
New Zealand ranks 53rd of 82 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Homicides by firearm in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 6 homicides | — |
| 2008 | 7 homicides | +16.7% |
| 2009 | 11 homicides | +57.1% |
| 2010 | 7 homicides | -36.4% |
| 2011 | 3 homicides | -57.1% |
| 2012 | 3 homicides | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 8 homicides | +166.7% |
| 2014 | 6 homicides | -25.0% |
| 2015 | 7 homicides | +16.7% |
| 2016 | 8 homicides | +14.3% |
| 2017 | 11 homicides | +37.5% |
| 2018 | 12 homicides | +9.1% |
| 2019 | 61 homicides | +408.3% |
| 2020 | 15 homicides | -75.4% |
| 2021 | 10 homicides | -33.3% |
| 2022 | 12 homicides | +20.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 12 homicides is below the median for high income countries, which is 17 homicides, 71% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 12 homicides is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 18.5 homicides, 65% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Homicides by firearm in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +408.3% | 12 homicides | 61 homicides |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8 homicides | 6 homicides | 11 homicides | 3 |
| 2010s | 12.6 homicides | 3 homicides | 61 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.33 homicides | 10 homicides | 15 homicides | 3 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More social development data for New Zealand
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,148 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 58 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 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 homicides by firearm in New Zealand?
- Homicides by firearm in New Zealand was 12 homicides in 2022, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides by firearm recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 61 homicides in 2019.
- What is the lowest homicides by firearm recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 3 homicides in 2011.
- How does New Zealand rank for homicides by firearm?
- New Zealand ranks 53rd out of 82 countries with data for 2022.
- Is homicides by firearm rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 300.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicides by firearm. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of intentional homicides where the weapon was a firearm.