Share of deaths from underlying causes in New Zealand
New Zealand: Share of deaths from underlying causes was 29.7% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Latest (2018)
29.7%
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
3rd
of 113 countries
All-time high
30.8%
in 2013
All-time low
15.4%
in 1950
Years of data
69
1950–2018
Share of deaths from underlying causes 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 from underlying causes in New Zealand is 29.7%, measured in 2018.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of deaths from underlying causes in New Zealand peaked at 30.8% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 15.4%, in 1950.
That places New Zealand 3rd out of 113 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 69 years of available data.
Share of deaths from underlying causes in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 15.4% | — |
| 1951 | 15.7% | +2.1% |
| 1952 | 15.6% | -0.4% |
| 1953 | 16.0% | +2.3% |
| 1954 | 15.9% | -0.1% |
| 1955 | 16.7% | +4.7% |
| 1956 | 16.3% | -2.6% |
| 1957 | 15.6% | -4.0% |
| 1958 | 16.4% | +5.2% |
| 1959 | 16.0% | -2.8% |
| 1960 | 15.9% | -0.2% |
| 1961 | 16.4% | +3.2% |
| 1962 | 16.5% | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 16.9% | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 16.2% | -4.3% |
| 1965 | 16.8% | +3.6% |
| 1966 | 16.4% | -2.4% |
| 1967 | 16.9% | +3.4% |
| 1968 | 16.9% | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | +3.8% |
| 1970 | 18.2% | +4.0% |
| 1971 | 18.7% | +2.6% |
| 1972 | 18.5% | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 18.8% | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 19.9% | +5.8% |
| 1975 | 20.2% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 20.5% | +1.4% |
| 1977 | 20.5% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 21.4% | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 21.4% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 20.7% | -3.3% |
| 1981 | 22.4% | +8.7% |
| 1982 | 22.6% | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 23.0% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 23.4% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 22.6% | -3.4% |
| 1986 | 23.2% | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 23.5% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 23.9% | +1.4% |
| 1989 | 24.7% | +3.5% |
| 1990 | 25.6% | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 25.8% | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 25.4% | -1.6% |
| 1993 | 26.4% | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 26.8% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 26.9% | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 26.8% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 26.9% | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 29.2% | +8.8% |
| 1999 | 27.8% | -5.0% |
| 2000 | 29.1% | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 28.3% | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 28.1% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 28.8% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 28.7% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 29.6% | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 28.8% | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 30.0% | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 29.4% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 29.1% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 30.3% | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 29.6% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 29.7% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 30.8% | +4.0% |
| 2014 | 30.0% | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 30.5% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 30.6% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 28.9% | -5.5% |
| 2018 | 29.7% | +2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 15.9% | 15.4% | 16.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 16.6% | 15.9% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 19.8% | 18.2% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 23.0% | 20.7% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.8% | 25.4% | 29.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.0% | 28.1% | 30.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.0% | 28.9% | 30.8% | 9 |
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 share of deaths from underlying causes in New Zealand?
- Share of deaths from underlying causes in New Zealand was 29.7% in 2018, according to WHO Mortality Database (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of deaths from underlying causes recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 30.8% in 2013.
- What is the lowest share of deaths from underlying causes recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.4% in 1950.
- How does New Zealand rank for share of deaths from underlying causes?
- New Zealand ranks 3rd out of 113 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of deaths from underlying causes rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 from underlying causes. 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
Based on the underlying cause listed on death certificates.