Government gross debt in New Zealand

International Monetary Fund · Annual · Importance

IMF forecast (WEO): 2026: 56.7% 2027: 57.8% 2028: 57.8% 2029: 57.1% 2030: 55.5% 2031: 54.8%

32.0 (1999) ANUAL · % of GDP · Annual · CSV

Period	% of GDP
Jan 1999	32.0
Jan 1998	34.5
Jan 1997	34.6
Jan 1996	37.3
Jan 1995	43.5
Jan 1994	48.9
Jan 1993	54.6
Jan 1992	58.7
Jan 1991	58.0
Jan 1990	55.5

About this indicator

Source

International Monetary Fund

Frequency

Annual

Release

Published annually (with quarterly advance estimates in some economies), subject to revision with the national accounts.

What it is

Government gross debt measures the total outstanding liabilities of New Zealand's government owed to its creditors. It is reported in absolute terms and as a share of GDP to assess the sustainability of the public finances.

How it's calculated

The figure comes from The Treasury of New Zealand and IMF estimates: the sum of government bonds and other liabilities set against nominal GDP. New Zealand also publishes its own measures such as net debt and gross sovereign-issued debt. It is annual or quarterly.

Market implications

New Zealand enjoys sound public finances and a high rating, so debt is a macro-anchoring variable; changes in its path affect the sovereign rating, government bonds and, indirectly, the New Zealand dollar.

Limitations

It is a low-frequency, revisable figure. International comparison is tricky because New Zealand uses several definitions (net versus gross debt, with or without the NZ Super pension fund), which can yield very different levels.