Earthquake deaths in New Zealand

New Zealand: Earthquake deaths was 2 in 2016. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2016)
2
World rank
30th
of 51 countries
All-time high
261
in 1931
All-time low
1
in 1905
Years of data
11
1848–2016

Earthquake deaths in New Zealand, 1848–2016

01002003001848193220161848: 31905: 11914: 11929: 171931: 2611968: 31987: 12004: 12007: 12011: 1862016: 2

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

New Zealand recorded 2 for earthquake deaths in 2016.

That represents a change of up 100.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, earthquake deaths in New Zealand peaked at 261 in 1931 and was at its lowest, 1, in 1905.

New Zealand ranks 30th of 51 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.

Earthquake deaths in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Earthquake deaths in New Zealand, 1848 to 2016.
Year Value Change
1848 3
1905 1 -66.7%
1914 1 +0.0%
1929 17 +1600.0%
1931 261 +1435.3%
1968 3 -98.9%
1987 1 -66.7%
2004 1 +0.0%
2007 1 +0.0%
2011 186 +18500.0%
2016 2 -98.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1840s 3 3 3 1
1900s 1 1 1 1
1910s 1 1 1 1
1920s 17 17 17 1
1930s 261 261 261 1
1960s 3 3 3 1
1980s 1 1 1 1
2000s 1 1 1 2
2010s 94 2 186 2

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 30 Argentina 2 compare
  2. 30 Bangladesh 2 compare
  3. 30 Congo 2 compare
  4. 30 Costa Rica 2 compare
  5. 30 Romania 2 compare
  6. 30 Russia 2 compare

See the full ranking of 51 places →

More health data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is earthquake deaths in New Zealand?
Earthquake deaths in New Zealand was 2 in 2016, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest earthquake deaths recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 261 in 1931.
What is the lowest earthquake deaths recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1905.
How does New Zealand rank for earthquake deaths?
New Zealand ranks 30th out of 51 countries with data for 2016.
Is earthquake deaths rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Earthquake deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Earthquake deaths in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/earthquake-deaths/new-zealand/

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<a href="https://health.statizoid.com/stat/earthquake-deaths/new-zealand/">Earthquake deaths in New Zealand</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Earthquake deaths
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
51 places, 1,550 data points, 1500–2024
Last refreshed