Military spending in New Zealand
New Zealand: Military spending was 2.89 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2.89 billion constant 2024 US$
Change on year
down 3.6%
World rank
58th
of 162 countries
All-time high
3.18 billion constant 2024 US$
in 2020
All-time low
1.13 billion constant 2024 US$
in 1962
Years of data
70
1956–2025
Military spending in New Zealand, 1956–2025
Source: Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending in New Zealand is 2.89 billion constant 2024 US$, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 3.6% on the previous year and up 47.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in New Zealand peaked at 3.18 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.13 billion constant 2024 US$, in 1962.
That places New Zealand 58th out of 162 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 70 years of available data.
Military spending in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 1.23 billion constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1957 | 1.18 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.6% |
| 1958 | 1.17 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.2% |
| 1959 | 1.20 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.8% |
| 1960 | 1.23 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.5% |
| 1961 | 1.16 billion constant 2024 US$ | -6.0% |
| 1962 | 1.13 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.5% |
| 1963 | 1.15 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.9% |
| 1964 | 1.37 billion constant 2024 US$ | +19.3% |
| 1965 | 1.37 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.5% |
| 1966 | 1.55 billion constant 2024 US$ | +13.6% |
| 1967 | 1.51 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.0% |
| 1968 | 1.59 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.7% |
| 1969 | 1.65 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.8% |
| 1970 | 1.81 billion constant 2024 US$ | +9.2% |
| 1971 | 1.70 billion constant 2024 US$ | -5.9% |
| 1972 | 1.72 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.4% |
| 1973 | 1.67 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.8% |
| 1974 | 1.73 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 1.76 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 1.69 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.9% |
| 1977 | 1.71 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 1.81 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.7% |
| 1979 | 1.82 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 2.52 billion constant 2024 US$ | +38.8% |
| 1981 | 2.40 billion constant 2024 US$ | -5.0% |
| 1982 | 2.20 billion constant 2024 US$ | -8.3% |
| 1983 | 2.14 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.5% |
| 1984 | 2.22 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.7% |
| 1985 | 2.21 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.8% |
| 1986 | 2.41 billion constant 2024 US$ | +9.1% |
| 1987 | 2.47 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 2.17 billion constant 2024 US$ | -12.0% |
| 1989 | 2.24 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 2.34 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.1% |
| 1991 | 2.20 billion constant 2024 US$ | -5.7% |
| 1992 | 2.06 billion constant 2024 US$ | -6.4% |
| 1993 | 2.01 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 2.04 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 2.08 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 2.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 2.05 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.0% |
| 1998 | 2.06 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 2.08 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 2.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 2.04 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 1.97 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.8% |
| 2003 | 1.94 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 1.82 billion constant 2024 US$ | -6.3% |
| 2005 | 1.80 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 1.99 billion constant 2024 US$ | +10.6% |
| 2007 | 2.01 billion constant 2024 US$ | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 1.94 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 2.04 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 2.08 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 2.01 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 1.95 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 1.91 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 1.90 billion constant 2024 US$ | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 1.96 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 2.17 billion constant 2024 US$ | +10.3% |
| 2017 | 2.32 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.1% |
| 2018 | 2.54 billion constant 2024 US$ | +9.2% |
| 2019 | 3.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | +21.7% |
| 2020 | 3.18 billion constant 2024 US$ | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 2.90 billion constant 2024 US$ | -8.7% |
| 2022 | 2.94 billion constant 2024 US$ | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 3.08 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.8% |
| 2024 | 3.00 billion constant 2024 US$ | -2.5% |
| 2025 | 2.89 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.6% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 2.89 billion constant 2024 US$ is below the median for high income countries, which is 6.82 billion constant 2024 US$, 42% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 2.89 billion constant 2024 US$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.65 billion constant 2024 US$, 62% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +38.8% | 1.82 billion constant 2024 US$ | 2.52 billion constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.20 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.17 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.23 billion constant 2024 US$ | 4 |
| 1960s | 1.37 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.13 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.65 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.74 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.67 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.82 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.30 billion constant 2024 US$ | 2.14 billion constant 2024 US$ | 2.52 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.10 billion constant 2024 US$ | 2.01 billion constant 2024 US$ | 2.34 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.96 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.80 billion constant 2024 US$ | 2.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.19 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.90 billion constant 2024 US$ | 3.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.00 billion constant 2024 US$ | 2.89 billion constant 2024 US$ | 3.18 billion constant 2024 US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 55 Argentina 3.73 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 56 Bangladesh 3.66 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 57 South Africa 3.00 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 59 Slovakia 2.87 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 60 Sudan 2.77 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 61 Lithuania 2.73 billion constant 2024 US$ 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 military spending in New Zealand?
- Military spending in New Zealand was 2.89 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2025, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 3.18 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2020.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.13 billion constant 2024 US$ in 1962.
- How does New Zealand rank for military spending?
- New Zealand ranks 58th out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 70 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.