Average annual surface temperature in New Zealand
New Zealand: Average annual surface temperature was 11.19 °C in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
11.19 °C
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
152nd
of 193 countries
All-time high
11.45 °C
in 2022
All-time low
8.57 °C
in 1945
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Average annual surface temperature in New Zealand, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in °C.
Analysis
The most recent figure for average annual surface temperature in New Zealand is 11.19 °C, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual surface temperature in New Zealand peaked at 11.45 °C in 2022 and was at its lowest, 8.57 °C, in 1945.
That places New Zealand 152nd out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 86 years of available data.
Average annual surface temperature in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | °C | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 9.06 °C | — |
| 1941 | 8.75 °C | -3.4% |
| 1942 | 9.35 °C | +6.9% |
| 1943 | 8.83 °C | -5.6% |
| 1944 | 8.84 °C | +0.1% |
| 1945 | 8.57 °C | -3.0% |
| 1946 | 8.81 °C | +2.8% |
| 1947 | 8.84 °C | +0.3% |
| 1948 | 8.91 °C | +0.7% |
| 1949 | 9.01 °C | +1.1% |
| 1950 | 9.43 °C | +4.7% |
| 1951 | 8.84 °C | -6.3% |
| 1952 | 9.33 °C | +5.6% |
| 1953 | 9.25 °C | -0.9% |
| 1954 | 9.9 °C | +7.0% |
| 1955 | 10.25 °C | +3.6% |
| 1956 | 10.24 °C | -0.1% |
| 1957 | 9.67 °C | -5.6% |
| 1958 | 9.89 °C | +2.2% |
| 1959 | 9.5 °C | -3.9% |
| 1960 | 9.7 °C | +2.1% |
| 1961 | 9.78 °C | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 10.29 °C | +5.2% |
| 1963 | 9.19 °C | -10.7% |
| 1964 | 9.4 °C | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 8.94 °C | -4.9% |
| 1966 | 9.38 °C | +4.9% |
| 1967 | 9.83 °C | +4.9% |
| 1968 | 9.69 °C | -1.5% |
| 1969 | 9.89 °C | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 10.64 °C | +7.7% |
| 1971 | 10.68 °C | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 9.99 °C | -6.5% |
| 1973 | 10.51 °C | +5.2% |
| 1974 | 10.5 °C | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 10.25 °C | -2.4% |
| 1976 | 9.5 °C | -7.4% |
| 1977 | 9.38 °C | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 10.46 °C | +11.5% |
| 1979 | 10.21 °C | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 10.01 °C | -1.9% |
| 1981 | 10.59 °C | +5.8% |
| 1982 | 9.77 °C | -7.8% |
| 1983 | 9.7 °C | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 10.54 °C | +8.6% |
| 1985 | 10.49 °C | -0.4% |
| 1986 | 10.37 °C | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 10.41 °C | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 10.56 °C | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 10.61 °C | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 10.68 °C | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 9.85 °C | -7.8% |
| 1992 | 9.18 °C | -6.8% |
| 1993 | 9.61 °C | +4.7% |
| 1994 | 9.86 °C | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 10.11 °C | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 9.99 °C | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 9.77 °C | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 10.98 °C | +12.4% |
| 1999 | 10.87 °C | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 10.39 °C | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 10.46 °C | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 10.22 °C | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 10.19 °C | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 9.7 °C | -4.8% |
| 2005 | 10.82 °C | +11.5% |
| 2006 | 9.93 °C | -8.2% |
| 2007 | 10.39 °C | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 10.48 °C | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 9.9 °C | -5.6% |
| 2010 | 10.69 °C | +8.0% |
| 2011 | 10.52 °C | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 10.1 °C | -3.9% |
| 2013 | 10.99 °C | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 10.46 °C | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 10.32 °C | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 11.06 °C | +7.2% |
| 2017 | 10.89 °C | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 11.06 °C | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 11.08 °C | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 10.98 °C | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 11.18 °C | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 11.45 °C | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 11.2 °C | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 10.82 °C | -3.4% |
| 2025 | 11.19 °C | +3.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 11.19 °C is below the median for high income countries, which is 12.86 °C, 87% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 11.19 °C is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24.82 °C, 45% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 8.9 °C | 8.57 °C | 9.35 °C | 10 |
| 1950s | 9.63 °C | 8.84 °C | 10.25 °C | 10 |
| 1960s | 9.61 °C | 8.94 °C | 10.29 °C | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.21 °C | 9.38 °C | 10.68 °C | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.31 °C | 9.7 °C | 10.61 °C | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.09 °C | 9.18 °C | 10.98 °C | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.25 °C | 9.7 °C | 10.82 °C | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.72 °C | 10.1 °C | 11.08 °C | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.14 °C | 10.82 °C | 11.45 °C | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 149 Belgium 11.29 °C compare
- 150 Netherlands 11.27 °C compare
- 151 Isle of Man 11.22 °C compare
- 153 Romania 11.05 °C compare
- 154 Slovenia 10.92 °C compare
- 155 Montenegro 10.86 °C compare
More reference data data for New Zealand
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4532 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 9.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0459 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.93 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 42.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 47.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2499 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual surface temperature in New Zealand?
- Average annual surface temperature in New Zealand was 11.19 °C in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average annual surface temperature recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 11.45 °C in 2022.
- What is the lowest average annual surface temperature recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.57 °C in 1945.
- How does New Zealand rank for average annual surface temperature?
- New Zealand ranks 152nd out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is average annual surface temperature rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average annual surface temperature. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Temperature of the air measured 2 meters above the ground, encompassing land, sea, and in-land water surfaces.