What is the highest strong elected local governments index recorded in New Zealand?

The highest recorded value was 0.979 in 1854.

What is the lowest strong elected local governments index recorded in New Zealand?

The lowest recorded value was 0.815 in 1853.

How does New Zealand rank for strong elected local governments index?

New Zealand ranks 34th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.

Is strong elected local governments index rising or falling in New Zealand?

Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.

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 Elected Local Governments Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Strong Elected Local Governments Index in New Zealand

Name: Strong Elected Local Governments 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 Elected Local Governments Index was 0.97 in 2025. ▬ Flat

Latest (2025)

0.97

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

34th

of 175 countries

All-time high

0.979

in 1854

All-time low

0.815

in 1853

Years of data

173

1853–2025

Strong Elected Local Governments Index in New Zealand, 1853–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, strong elected local governments index in New Zealand stood at 0.97.

That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, strong elected local governments index in New Zealand peaked at 0.979 in 1854 and was at its lowest, 0.815, in 1853.

New Zealand ranks 34th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1850s	0.9556	0.815	0.979	7
1860s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1870s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1880s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1890s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1900s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1910s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1920s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1930s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1940s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1950s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1960s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1970s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1980s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
1990s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
2000s	0.979	0.979	0.979	10
2010s	0.97	0.97	0.97	10
2020s	0.97	0.97	0.97	6

Countries ranked near New Zealand

32 Peru 0.971 compare
32 Zambia 0.971 compare
35 Ecuador 0.969 compare
35 Laos 0.969 compare
37 Finland 0.967 compare
37 Montenegro 0.967 compare
37 Taiwan 0.967 compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More reference data data for New Zealand

Summer temperature anomalies 1.76 °C (2026)
Temperature anomalies by month 0.0464 °C (2026)
Spring temperature anomalies 0.2008 °C (2026)
Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
Consumer price index 144.86 2010 = 100 (2025)
Autumn temperature anomalies 0.5251 °C (2025)
Winter temperature anomalies 0.5536 °C (2025)
Competitive elections 1 (2025)
Civil liberties rating 1 (2025)
Universal right to vote 2 (2025)

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is strong elected local governments index in New Zealand?: Strong elected local governments index in New Zealand was 0.97 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest strong elected local governments index recorded in New Zealand?: The highest recorded value was 0.979 in 1854.
What is the lowest strong elected local governments index recorded in New Zealand?: The lowest recorded value was 0.815 in 1853.
How does New Zealand rank for strong elected local governments index?: New Zealand ranks 34th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
Is strong elected local governments index rising or falling in New Zealand?: Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
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 Elected Local Governments Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 173 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Strong Elected Local Governments Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 175 places, 25,933 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which elected local governments exist, and they operate without interference from local unelected bodies.