# New Zealand — key facts

Source: GeoReality (https://geo-reality.com) — verified country data, regenerated 2026-09-01.
When citing a figure, attribute both GeoReality and the primary source in the third column.

- Capital: Wellington
- Region: Oceania · Australia and New Zealand
- Full profile: https://geo-reality.com/country/nz
- Methodology and source URLs: https://geo-reality.com/data-sources

| Fact | Value | Primary source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,324,700 | World Bank SP.POP.TOTL |
| Area | 263,310 km² | World Bank AG.LND.TOTL.K2 |
| GDP per capita (nominal) | 49,591 USD | World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | 57,350 intl $ | World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD |
| GDP (total) | 264.1 bn USD | World Bank NY.GDP.MKTP.CD |
| Human Development Index | 0.94 | UNDP Human Development Report (2022) |
| Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful) | 1.34 | IEP Global Peace Index (2024) |
| Life satisfaction (Cantril ladder, 0-10) | 7 | World Happiness Report — Data for Figure 2.1, life evaluation (Cantril ladder) (2026) |
| Life expectancy at birth | 82 years | World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN |
| Fertility rate | 1.57 births/woman | World Bank SP.DYN.TFRT.IN |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | World Bank SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS |
| Inflation (CPI, annual) | 2.8% | World Bank FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG |
| Cost of living index (NYC = 100) | 60.3 | Numbeo (2026) |
| Safety index (Numbeo) | 51.2 | Numbeo (2026) |
| Median fixed broadband | 201.72 Mbps | Ookla Speedtest Global Index (2025) |
| Internet users | 93.5% of population | World Bank IT.NET.USER.ZS |
| Urban population | 84% | World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS |
| Renewable share of energy | 28.9% | World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS |
| Forest area | 37.8% of land | World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS |
| CO2 emissions per capita | 6.01 t/yr | World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5 |
| Corporate tax rate | 28% | Wikipedia — List of countries by tax rates (corporate column, headline statutory rate) (2024) |
| VAT / GST standard rate | 15% | Wikipedia — List of countries by tax rates (VAT/GST/Sales column, standard-rate preferred) (2024) |
| Top personal income tax | 39% | Wikipedia — List of countries by tax rates (Individual income / Highest column) (2024) |

## Two decades of change

| Indicator | First → last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 79.85 (2005) → 82.01 (2024) | World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN |
| Internet users | 69 (2006) → 93.52 (2024) | World Bank IT.NET.USER.ZS |
| Urban population | 85.94 (2006) → 84 (2025) | World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS |
| Births per woman | 1.97 (2005) → 1.57 (2024) | World Bank SP.DYN.TFRT.IN |
| Renewable share of energy | 28.2 (2004) → 28.9 (2021) | World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS |
| Access to electricity | 100 (2005) → 100 (2024) | World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS |
| Infant mortality | 5.5 (2005) → 4 (2024) | World Bank SP.DYN.IMRT.IN |
| CO2 emissions per person | 8.75 (2005) → 6.01 (2024) | World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5 |
| Forest area | 37.41 (2004) → 37.79 (2023) | World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS |

Context across all countries: https://geo-reality.com/changed

## Human Development Index, 1990–2022

Source: UNDP Human Development Report, composite indices complete time series (2023-24). Annual values as published, none interpolated.

| Year | HDI |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.812 |
| 1991 | 0.815 |
| 1992 | 0.823 |
| 1993 | 0.839 |
| 1994 | 0.852 |
| 1995 | 0.859 |
| 1996 | 0.863 |
| 1997 | 0.871 |
| 1998 | 0.880 |
| 1999 | 0.885 |
| 2000 | 0.894 |
| 2001 | 0.900 |
| 2002 | 0.904 |
| 2003 | 0.908 |
| 2004 | 0.912 |
| 2005 | 0.917 |
| 2006 | 0.918 |
| 2007 | 0.919 |
| 2008 | 0.919 |
| 2009 | 0.922 |
| 2010 | 0.924 |
| 2011 | 0.924 |
| 2012 | 0.927 |
| 2013 | 0.930 |
| 2014 | 0.931 |
| 2015 | 0.933 |
| 2016 | 0.935 |
| 2017 | 0.935 |
| 2018 | 0.936 |
| 2019 | 0.937 |
| 2020 | 0.935 |
| 2021 | 0.936 |
| 2022 | 0.939 |

Chart: https://geo-reality.com/country/nz#hdi-history

Vintages marked "varies" are the most recent value the source publishes per country; the profile page states the exact year per figure.