Death rate from cancer by sex in New Zealand
New Zealand: Death rate from cancer by sex was 126.89 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018. ▼ Falling
Latest (2018)
126.89 deaths per 100,000 people
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
35th
of 111 countries
All-time high
204.13 deaths per 100,000 people
in 1985
All-time low
126.89 deaths per 100,000 people
in 2018
Years of data
69
1950–2018
Death rate from cancer by sex in New Zealand, 1950–2018
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 126.89 deaths per 100,000 people for death rate from cancer by sex in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 69 years on record.
The figure is down 2.2% on the previous year and down 16.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate from cancer by sex in New Zealand peaked at 204.13 deaths per 100,000 people in 1985 and was at its lowest, 126.89 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2018.
That places New Zealand 35th 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 69 years of available data.
Death rate from cancer by sex in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 154.56 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 156.09 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 152.11 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1953 | 154.68 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1954 | 154.35 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.2% |
| 1955 | 161.04 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.3% |
| 1956 | 158.27 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1957 | 163.32 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.2% |
| 1958 | 159.47 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1959 | 164.34 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.1% |
| 1960 | 153.94 deaths per 100,000 people | -6.3% |
| 1961 | 165.84 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.7% |
| 1962 | 169.66 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 177.94 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.9% |
| 1964 | 167.95 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.6% |
| 1965 | 173.62 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.4% |
| 1966 | 172.58 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 168.61 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 181.78 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.8% |
| 1969 | 186.1 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 195.81 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.2% |
| 1971 | 196.2 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 185.04 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.7% |
| 1973 | 195.61 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.7% |
| 1974 | 201.21 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 202.53 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1976 | 199.78 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 1977 | 203.26 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 195.4 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.9% |
| 1979 | 197.48 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 198.11 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 202.25 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 198.86 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 200.24 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 202.29 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 204.13 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 200.2 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1987 | 197.69 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 199.95 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 198.47 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 197.44 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 188.35 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.6% |
| 1992 | 196.39 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 194.27 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 190.38 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 190.61 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 184.66 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1997 | 179.26 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.9% |
| 1998 | 178.19 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 180.15 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 177.32 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 175.51 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 168.58 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2003 | 167.53 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 161.4 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 154.67 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 148.87 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 157.14 deaths per 100,000 people | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 152.54 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 143.64 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 141.69 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 141.62 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 139.4 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 139.03 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 135.63 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 138.35 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 131.43 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 129.78 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 126.89 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.2% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 126.89 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 117.26 deaths per 100,000 people, 1.1× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 126.89 deaths per 100,000 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 108 deaths per 100,000 people, 1.2× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 157.82 deaths per 100,000 people | 152.11 deaths per 100,000 people | 164.34 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 171.8 deaths per 100,000 people | 153.94 deaths per 100,000 people | 186.1 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 197.23 deaths per 100,000 people | 185.04 deaths per 100,000 people | 203.26 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 200.22 deaths per 100,000 people | 197.69 deaths per 100,000 people | 204.13 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 187.97 deaths per 100,000 people | 178.19 deaths per 100,000 people | 197.44 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 160.72 deaths per 100,000 people | 143.64 deaths per 100,000 people | 177.32 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 135.98 deaths per 100,000 people | 126.89 deaths per 100,000 people | 141.69 deaths per 100,000 people | 9 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 32 Armenia 129.94 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 33 Denmark 129.03 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 34 Spain 128.29 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 36 Bosnia and Herzegovina 126.67 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 37 Hong Kong, China 125.97 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 38 Ireland 125.86 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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.1187 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.018 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate from cancer by sex in New Zealand?
- Death rate from cancer by sex in New Zealand was 126.89 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 death rate from cancer by sex recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 204.13 deaths per 100,000 people in 1985.
- What is the lowest death rate from cancer by sex recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 126.89 deaths per 100,000 people in 2018.
- How does New Zealand rank for death rate from cancer by sex?
- New Zealand ranks 35th out of 111 countries with data for 2018.
- Is death rate from cancer by sex rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.8%. 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 Death rate from cancer by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 69 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Reported deaths from malignant neoplasms in males in those aged all ages per 100,000 people.