Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in New Zealand
New Zealand: Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death was 0.9% in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in New Zealand, 1950–2018
Source: WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in New Zealand is 0.9%, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of down 5.4% on the previous year and up 247.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in New Zealand peaked at 1.3% in 1951 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1979.
That places New Zealand 102nd out of 113 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.2% | — |
| 1951 | 1.3% | +8.6% |
| 1952 | 1.1% | -17.3% |
| 1953 | 0.7% | -31.0% |
| 1954 | 1.0% | +37.1% |
| 1955 | 0.9% | -9.1% |
| 1956 | 0.8% | -15.2% |
| 1957 | 0.5% | -32.9% |
| 1958 | 0.6% | +11.3% |
| 1959 | 0.6% | -3.1% |
| 1960 | 0.8% | +48.3% |
| 1961 | 0.6% | -29.6% |
| 1962 | 0.4% | -23.1% |
| 1963 | 0.5% | +21.4% |
| 1964 | 0.6% | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 0.6% | +8.1% |
| 1966 | 0.6% | +1.5% |
| 1967 | 0.4% | -27.1% |
| 1968 | 0.5% | +22.3% |
| 1969 | 0.5% | -7.1% |
| 1970 | 0.6% | +15.5% |
| 1971 | 0.4% | -27.2% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | +17.8% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | -24.7% |
| 1974 | 0.4% | -6.1% |
| 1975 | 0.3% | -11.7% |
| 1976 | 0.3% | +8.7% |
| 1977 | 0.8% | +125.3% |
| 1978 | 0.7% | -6.9% |
| 1979 | 0.1% | -80.8% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | +25.0% |
| 1981 | 0.2% | +17.7% |
| 1982 | 0.3% | +23.5% |
| 1983 | 0.2% | -9.4% |
| 1984 | 0.2% | -2.8% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 0.2% | +9.8% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -41.1% |
| 1988 | 0.2% | +60.1% |
| 1989 | 0.2% | -12.9% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | +40.9% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | +11.1% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | -27.2% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | +28.7% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -17.3% |
| 1996 | 0.2% | -14.2% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -19.1% |
| 1998 | 0.1% | -17.4% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | +50.5% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +17.0% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | -22.4% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | +14.2% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | -21.3% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | +14.2% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | +56.1% |
| 2009 | 0.4% | +29.2% |
| 2010 | 0.3% | -8.9% |
| 2011 | 0.3% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | +24.3% |
| 2013 | 0.5% | +25.5% |
| 2014 | 0.5% | +7.6% |
| 2015 | 0.6% | +10.0% |
| 2016 | 0.9% | +59.6% |
| 2017 | 1.0% | +8.5% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | -5.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 9 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More health data for New Zealand
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Frequently asked questions
- What is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in New Zealand?
- Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death in New Zealand was 0.9% in 2018, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 1.3% in 1951.
- What is the lowest share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1979.
- How does New Zealand rank for share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death?
- New Zealand ranks 102nd out of 113 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 247.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Share of deaths registered with an ill-defined cause of death. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of total reported deaths in both sexes in those aged all ages that are from ill-defined diseases.