What is strong civil society index in New Zealand?

Strong civil society index in New Zealand was 0.866 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest strong civil society index recorded in New Zealand?

The highest recorded value was 0.95 in 1960.

What is the lowest strong civil society index recorded in New Zealand?

The lowest recorded value was 0.744 in 1853.

How does New Zealand rank for strong civil society index?

New Zealand ranks 47th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is strong civil society index rising or falling in New Zealand?

Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this New Zealand data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Strong Civil Society Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Strong Civil Society Index in New Zealand

Name: Strong Civil Society Index in New Zealand
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

New Zealand: Strong Civil Society Index was 0.866 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.866

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

47th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.95

in 1960

All-time low

0.744

in 1853

Years of data

173

1853–2025

Strong Civil Society Index in New Zealand, 1853–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, strong civil society index in New Zealand stood at 0.866.

That represents a change of down 8.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, strong civil society index in New Zealand peaked at 0.95 in 1960 and was at its lowest, 0.744, in 1853.

New Zealand ranks 47th of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 173 years of available data.

Strong Civil Society Index in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Strong Civil Society Index in New Zealand, 1853 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1853	0.744	—
1854	0.744	+0.0%
1855	0.744	+0.0%
1856	0.744	+0.0%
1857	0.744	+0.0%
1858	0.744	+0.0%
1859	0.744	+0.0%
1860	0.744	+0.0%
1861	0.877	+17.9%
1862	0.907	+3.4%
1863	0.907	+0.0%
1864	0.907	+0.0%
1865	0.907	+0.0%
1866	0.907	+0.0%
1867	0.907	+0.0%
1868	0.907	+0.0%
1869	0.907	+0.0%
1870	0.907	+0.0%
1871	0.907	+0.0%
1872	0.907	+0.0%
1873	0.907	+0.0%
1874	0.907	+0.0%
1875	0.907	+0.0%
1876	0.907	+0.0%
1877	0.907	+0.0%
1878	0.907	+0.0%
1879	0.907	+0.0%
1880	0.907	+0.0%
1881	0.907	+0.0%
1882	0.907	+0.0%
1883	0.907	+0.0%
1884	0.907	+0.0%
1885	0.907	+0.0%
1886	0.907	+0.0%
1887	0.907	+0.0%
1888	0.907	+0.0%
1889	0.907	+0.0%
1890	0.871	-4.0%
1891	0.92	+5.6%
1892	0.92	+0.0%
1893	0.92	+0.0%
1894	0.92	+0.0%
1895	0.92	+0.0%
1896	0.92	+0.0%
1897	0.92	+0.0%
1898	0.92	+0.0%
1899	0.92	+0.0%
1900	0.92	+0.0%
1901	0.92	+0.0%
1902	0.92	+0.0%
1903	0.92	+0.0%
1904	0.92	+0.0%
1905	0.92	+0.0%
1906	0.92	+0.0%
1907	0.92	+0.0%
1908	0.92	+0.0%
1909	0.92	+0.0%
1910	0.92	+0.0%
1911	0.92	+0.0%
1912	0.864	-6.1%
1913	0.864	+0.0%
1914	0.841	-2.7%
1915	0.841	+0.0%
1916	0.841	+0.0%
1917	0.841	+0.0%
1918	0.841	+0.0%
1919	0.896	+6.5%
1920	0.896	+0.0%
1921	0.896	+0.0%
1922	0.896	+0.0%
1923	0.896	+0.0%
1924	0.896	+0.0%
1925	0.896	+0.0%
1926	0.896	+0.0%
1927	0.896	+0.0%
1928	0.896	+0.0%
1929	0.896	+0.0%
1930	0.896	+0.0%
1931	0.896	+0.0%
1932	0.896	+0.0%
1933	0.896	+0.0%
1934	0.896	+0.0%
1935	0.896	+0.0%
1936	0.896	+0.0%
1937	0.896	+0.0%
1938	0.896	+0.0%
1939	0.896	+0.0%
1940	0.878	-2.0%
1941	0.878	+0.0%
1942	0.878	+0.0%
1943	0.878	+0.0%
1944	0.878	+0.0%
1945	0.878	+0.0%
1946	0.913	+4.0%
1947	0.913	+0.0%
1948	0.913	+0.0%
1949	0.913	+0.0%
1950	0.918	+0.5%
1951	0.882	-3.9%
1952	0.92	+4.3%
1953	0.92	+0.0%
1954	0.92	+0.0%
1955	0.92	+0.0%
1956	0.92	+0.0%
1957	0.92	+0.0%
1958	0.92	+0.0%
1959	0.92	+0.0%
1960	0.95	+3.3%
1961	0.95	+0.0%
1962	0.95	+0.0%
1963	0.95	+0.0%
1964	0.95	+0.0%
1965	0.95	+0.0%
1966	0.95	+0.0%
1967	0.95	+0.0%
1968	0.95	+0.0%
1969	0.95	+0.0%
1970	0.95	+0.0%
1971	0.95	+0.0%
1972	0.95	+0.0%
1973	0.95	+0.0%
1974	0.95	+0.0%
1975	0.95	+0.0%
1976	0.95	+0.0%
1977	0.933	-1.8%
1978	0.933	+0.0%
1979	0.933	+0.0%
1980	0.933	+0.0%
1981	0.933	+0.0%
1982	0.933	+0.0%
1983	0.933	+0.0%
1984	0.941	+0.9%
1985	0.941	+0.0%
1986	0.941	+0.0%
1987	0.941	+0.0%
1988	0.941	+0.0%
1989	0.941	+0.0%
1990	0.941	+0.0%
1991	0.941	+0.0%
1992	0.941	+0.0%
1993	0.941	+0.0%
1994	0.941	+0.0%
1995	0.941	+0.0%
1996	0.941	+0.0%
1997	0.941	+0.0%
1998	0.941	+0.0%
1999	0.941	+0.0%
2000	0.941	+0.0%
2001	0.941	+0.0%
2002	0.941	+0.0%
2003	0.941	+0.0%
2004	0.941	+0.0%
2005	0.941	+0.0%
2006	0.941	+0.0%
2007	0.941	+0.0%
2008	0.941	+0.0%
2009	0.941	+0.0%
2010	0.941	+0.0%
2011	0.941	+0.0%
2012	0.941	+0.0%
2013	0.941	+0.0%
2014	0.941	+0.0%
2015	0.941	+0.0%
2016	0.941	+0.0%
2017	0.92	-2.2%
2018	0.92	+0.0%
2019	0.92	+0.0%
2020	0.92	+0.0%
2021	0.928	+0.9%
2022	0.922	-0.6%
2023	0.922	+0.0%
2024	0.866	-6.1%
2025	0.866	+0.0%

New Zealand compared with similar countries

New Zealand's 0.866 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.864, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
New Zealand's 0.866 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7245, 1.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1850s	0.744	0.744	0.744	7
1860s	0.8877	0.744	0.907	10
1870s	0.907	0.907	0.907	10
1880s	0.907	0.907	0.907	10
1890s	0.9151	0.871	0.92	10
1900s	0.92	0.92	0.92	10
1910s	0.8669	0.841	0.92	10
1920s	0.896	0.896	0.896	10
1930s	0.896	0.896	0.896	10
1940s	0.892	0.878	0.913	10
1950s	0.916	0.882	0.92	10
1960s	0.95	0.95	0.95	10
1970s	0.9449	0.933	0.95	10
1980s	0.9378	0.933	0.941	10
1990s	0.941	0.941	0.941	10
2000s	0.941	0.941	0.941	10
2010s	0.9347	0.92	0.941	10
2020s	0.904	0.866	0.928	6

Countries ranked near New Zealand

45 Australia 0.875 compare
46 Italy 0.872 compare
48 Greece 0.864 compare
49 Germany 0.863 compare
50 Senegal 0.861 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

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)

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is strong civil society index in New Zealand?: Strong civil society index in New Zealand was 0.866 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest strong civil society index recorded in New Zealand?: The highest recorded value was 0.95 in 1960.
What is the lowest strong civil society index recorded in New Zealand?: The lowest recorded value was 0.744 in 1853.
How does New Zealand rank for strong civil society index?: New Zealand ranks 47th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is strong civil society index rising or falling in New Zealand?: Over the last ten years it is down 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this New Zealand data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Strong Civil Society Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Strong Civil Society Index in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/strong-civil-society-index/new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator: Strong Civil Society Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,138 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Data by V-Dem. Expert estimates of the extent to which interest groups, labor unions, charities, and other civil society organizations are autonomous from the state and can freely pursue their goals. The index ranges from 0 to 1 (strongest).