Death rate from drowning in New Zealand
New Zealand: Death rate from drowning was 1.22 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
Death rate from drowning in New Zealand, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for death rate from drowning in New Zealand is 1.22 deaths per 100,000 people, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 3.4% on the previous year and down 19.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate from drowning in New Zealand peaked at 1.94 deaths per 100,000 people in 2002 and was at its lowest, 1.14 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2012.
New Zealand ranks 147th of 194 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Death rate from drowning in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.59 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 1.17 deaths per 100,000 people | -26.4% |
| 2002 | 1.94 deaths per 100,000 people | +65.8% |
| 2003 | 1.45 deaths per 100,000 people | -25.3% |
| 2004 | 1.45 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.38 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.8% |
| 2006 | 1.35 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 1.45 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.4% |
| 2008 | 1.42 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 1.32 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.0% |
| 2010 | 1.42 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.6% |
| 2011 | 1.52 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.0% |
| 2012 | 1.14 deaths per 100,000 people | -25.0% |
| 2013 | 1.4 deaths per 100,000 people | +22.8% |
| 2014 | 1.3 deaths per 100,000 people | -7.1% |
| 2015 | 1.26 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 1.35 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.1% |
| 2017 | 1.36 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.25 deaths per 100,000 people | -8.1% |
| 2019 | 1.24 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 1.18 deaths per 100,000 people | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 1.22 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.45 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.17 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.94 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.32 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.14 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.52 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.18 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.22 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
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 0-14, female, annual growth rate -0.6935 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.087 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -0.6744 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.0918 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate from drowning in New Zealand?
- Death rate from drowning in New Zealand was 1.22 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate from drowning recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 1.94 deaths per 100,000 people in 2002.
- What is the lowest death rate from drowning recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.14 deaths per 100,000 people in 2012.
- How does New Zealand rank for death rate from drowning?
- New Zealand ranks 147th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is death rate from drowning rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate from drowning. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths from drowning in both sexes, per 100,000 people.