Interest payments (% of revenue) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Interest payments (% of revenue) was 4.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Interest payments in New Zealand, 1972–2024
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of revenue.
Analysis
The most recent figure for interest payments in New Zealand is 4.7%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.3% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, interest payments in New Zealand peaked at 19.7% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2008.
New Zealand ranks 94th of 155 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Interest payments (% of revenue) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % of revenue | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 8.6% | — |
| 1973 | 7.6% | -11.9% |
| 1974 | 7.1% | -7.0% |
| 1975 | 7.7% | +9.1% |
| 1976 | 8.6% | +11.1% |
| 1977 | 9.0% | +5.0% |
| 1978 | 10.5% | +16.1% |
| 1979 | 11.1% | +6.2% |
| 1980 | 11.3% | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 12.3% | +8.9% |
| 1982 | 13.2% | +6.7% |
| 1983 | 17.2% | +30.6% |
| 1984 | 18.5% | +7.4% |
| 1985 | 19.5% | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 19.7% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 18.6% | -5.4% |
| 1988 | 16.6% | -10.7% |
| 2001 | 6.0% | -64.2% |
| 2002 | 4.9% | -18.5% |
| 2003 | 5.0% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 4.7% | -5.9% |
| 2005 | 4.5% | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 3.9% | -14.6% |
| 2007 | 3.4% | -11.1% |
| 2008 | 1.9% | -43.2% |
| 2009 | 3.3% | +70.5% |
| 2010 | 3.8% | +14.7% |
| 2011 | 4.5% | +17.8% |
| 2012 | 5.0% | +11.9% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 4.5% | -10.5% |
| 2015 | 4.4% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 4.0% | -7.8% |
| 2017 | 3.8% | -6.6% |
| 2018 | 3.6% | -5.7% |
| 2019 | 3.3% | -7.5% |
| 2020 | 3.1% | -6.2% |
| 2021 | 2.8% | -9.8% |
| 2022 | 3.2% | +15.1% |
| 2023 | 4.2% | +30.4% |
| 2024 | 4.7% | +11.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 4.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.9%, 1.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 4.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.3%, 1.4× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8.8% | 7.1% | 11.1% | 8 |
| 1980s | 16.3% | 11.3% | 19.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 4.2% | 1.9% | 6.0% | 9 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | 3.3% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 2.8% | 4.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
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Frequently asked questions
- What is interest payments in New Zealand?
- Interest payments in New Zealand was 4.7% in 2024, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest interest payments recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 19.7% in 1986.
- What is the lowest interest payments recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2008.
- How does New Zealand rank for interest payments?
- New Zealand ranks 94th out of 155 countries with data for 2024.
- Is interest payments rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Interest payments (% of revenue). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Interest payments include interest payments on government debt (including long-term bonds, long-term loans, and other debt instruments) to domestic and foreign residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of revenue which includes all transactions that add to the amount of economic value of a unit or sector.