Cancer death rates by type in New Zealand
New Zealand: Cancer death rates by type was 2.45 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018. ▼ Falling
Latest (2018)
2.45 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 6.3%
World rank
34th
of 111 countries
All-time high
3.84 deaths per 100,000 people
in 1981
All-time low
2.2 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2013
Years of data
40
1979–2018
Cancer death rates by type in New Zealand, 1979–2018
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for cancer death rates by type in New Zealand is 2.45 deaths per 100,000 people, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of down 6.3% on the previous year and down 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, cancer death rates by type in New Zealand peaked at 3.84 deaths per 100,000 people in 1981 and was at its lowest, 2.2 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2013.
That places New Zealand 34th out of 111 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.
Cancer death rates by type in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 3.53 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1980 | 3.49 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.0% |
| 1981 | 3.84 deaths per 100,000 people | +10.0% |
| 1982 | 3.54 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.9% |
| 1983 | 3.13 deaths per 100,000 people | -11.5% |
| 1984 | 3.07 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1985 | 3.37 deaths per 100,000 people | +9.7% |
| 1986 | 3.39 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 3.41 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 3.67 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.5% |
| 1989 | 3.6 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 3.35 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.0% |
| 1991 | 3.18 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.0% |
| 1992 | 2.97 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.8% |
| 1993 | 3.08 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 3.3 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.1% |
| 1995 | 3.08 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.6% |
| 1996 | 3.63 deaths per 100,000 people | +18.0% |
| 1997 | 2.92 deaths per 100,000 people | -19.6% |
| 1998 | 3.03 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1999 | 2.99 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 2.74 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.4% |
| 2001 | 2.88 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 2.94 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 2.76 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.1% |
| 2004 | 2.81 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 2.83 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 2.95 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 2.42 deaths per 100,000 people | -17.7% |
| 2008 | 2.73 deaths per 100,000 people | +12.8% |
| 2009 | 2.86 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.8% |
| 2010 | 2.23 deaths per 100,000 people | -22.3% |
| 2011 | 2.61 deaths per 100,000 people | +17.1% |
| 2012 | 2.51 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2013 | 2.2 deaths per 100,000 people | -12.2% |
| 2014 | 2.62 deaths per 100,000 people | +19.1% |
| 2015 | 2.71 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 2.48 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 2.62 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 2.45 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.53 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.53 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.53 deaths per 100,000 people | 1 |
| 1980s | 3.45 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.07 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.84 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.15 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.92 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.63 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.79 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.42 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.95 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.49 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.2 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.71 deaths per 100,000 people | 9 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 31 Luxembourg 2.67 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 32 France 2.55 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 33 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.53 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 35 Ukraine 2.38 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 36 Türkiye 2.37 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 37 Belgium 2.34 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More health data for New Zealand
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.4815 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,116 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 33 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 0.2856 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0313 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 0.3541 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0292 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is cancer death rates by type in New Zealand?
- Cancer death rates by type in New Zealand was 2.45 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest cancer death rates by type recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 3.84 deaths per 100,000 people in 1981.
- What is the lowest cancer death rates by type recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2 deaths per 100,000 people in 2013.
- How does New Zealand rank for cancer death rates by type?
- New Zealand ranks 34th out of 111 countries with data for 2018.
- Is cancer death rates by type rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Cancer death rates by type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Reported deaths from bladder cancer in both sexes in those aged all ages per 100,000 people.