Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) was 1.87 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.87 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
7th
of 206 countries
All-time high
2.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
in 2002
All-time low
1.62 approx. -2.5 to +2.5
in 2021
Years of data
27
1996–2025
Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate in New Zealand, 1996–2025
Source: World Bank. Measured in approx. -2.5 to +2.5.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government effectiveness - governance estimate in New Zealand is 1.87 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government effectiveness - governance estimate in New Zealand peaked at 2.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2002 and was at its lowest, 1.62 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, in 2021.
New Zealand ranks 7th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 27 years of available data.
Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1.99 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | — |
| 1998 | 1.92 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -3.9% |
| 2000 | 1.73 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -9.7% |
| 2002 | 2.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +18.2% |
| 2003 | 2.02 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 1.83 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -9.1% |
| 2005 | 1.94 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 1.88 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 1.85 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 1.8 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -2.8% |
| 2009 | 1.93 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +7.2% |
| 2010 | 1.82 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 1.95 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +7.2% |
| 2012 | 1.96 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 1.92 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 2.01 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 1.93 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 1.87 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 1.84 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 1.77 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 1.75 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 1.7 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 1.62 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 1.71 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 1.77 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 1.84 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +4.3% |
| 2025 | 1.87 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | +1.6% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 1.87 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, 1.8× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 1.87 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1855 approx. -2.5 to +2.5, 10.1× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.96 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.92 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.99 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.89 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.73 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 2.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 9 |
| 2010s | 1.88 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.75 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 2.01 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.75 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.62 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 1.87 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
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 government effectiveness - governance estimate in New Zealand?
- Government effectiveness - governance estimate in New Zealand was 1.87 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2025, according to the World Bank.
- What is the highest government effectiveness - governance estimate recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 2.05 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2002.
- What is the lowest government effectiveness - governance estimate recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.62 approx. -2.5 to +2.5 in 2021.
- How does New Zealand rank for government effectiveness - governance estimate?
- New Zealand ranks 7th out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is government effectiveness - governance estimate rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Government Effectiveness - Governance estimate (approx. -2.5 to +2.5). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).