Proportion of total government spending on essential services, health in New Zealand
New Zealand: Proportion of total government spending on essential services, health was 18.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
18.2%
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
14th
of 129 countries
All-time high
19.8%
in 2022
All-time low
15.0%
in 2011
Years of data
22
2000–2025
Proportion of total government spending on essential services, health in New Zealand, 2000–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of total government spending on essential services, health in New Zealand is 18.2%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services, health in New Zealand peaked at 19.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 15.0%, in 2011.
New Zealand ranks 14th of 129 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Proportion of total government spending on essential services, health in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17.2% | — |
| 2004 | 17.4% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 17.7% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 16.3% | -8.2% |
| 2007 | 16.6% | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 17.7% | +6.6% |
| 2010 | 17.4% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 15.0% | -13.4% |
| 2012 | 17.7% | +17.8% |
| 2013 | 18.2% | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 18.3% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 18.2% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 18.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 18.0% | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 18.2% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 18.3% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 16.7% | -8.7% |
| 2021 | 18.8% | +12.3% |
| 2022 | 19.8% | +5.1% |
| 2023 | 18.6% | -5.6% |
| 2024 | 18.1% | -2.8% |
| 2025 | 18.2% | +0.6% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 18.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 14.2%, 1.3× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 18.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10.2%, 1.8× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17.1% | 16.3% | 17.7% | 6 |
| 2010s | 17.8% | 15.0% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.4% | 16.7% | 19.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 11 El Salvador 18.6% compare
- 12 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 18.6% compare
- 12 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 18.6% compare
- 15 Iceland 18.0% compare
- 16 Marshall Islands 17.8% compare
- 17 Samoa 17.7% 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 proportion of total government spending on essential services, health in New Zealand?
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services, health in New Zealand was 18.2% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services, health recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 19.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services, health recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.0% in 2011.
- How does New Zealand rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services, health?
- New Zealand ranks 14th out of 129 countries with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of total government spending on essential services, health rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services, health (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).