Military personnel as a share of total population in New Zealand
New Zealand: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.2% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.2%
Change on year
down 10.4%
World rank
119th
of 194 countries
All-time high
9.4%
in 1942
All-time low
0.1%
in 1939
Years of data
95
1922–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in New Zealand, 1922–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 0.2% for military personnel as a share of total population in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.4% on the previous year and down 21.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in New Zealand peaked at 9.4% in 1942 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1939.
That places New Zealand 119th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel as a share of total population in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1922 | 0.1% | — |
| 1923 | 0.1% | -1.8% |
| 1924 | 0.1% | -2.0% |
| 1925 | 0.1% | +31.7% |
| 1926 | 0.1% | -27.3% |
| 1927 | 0.1% | -1.4% |
| 1928 | 0.1% | -1.2% |
| 1929 | 0.1% | -1.3% |
| 1930 | 0.1% | -1.4% |
| 1931 | 0.1% | -1.1% |
| 1932 | 0.1% | -0.8% |
| 1933 | 0.1% | -0.8% |
| 1934 | 0.1% | -0.7% |
| 1935 | 0.1% | -0.8% |
| 1936 | 0.1% | -0.9% |
| 1937 | 0.1% | -1.1% |
| 1938 | 0.1% | -1.0% |
| 1939 | 0.1% | -1.5% |
| 1940 | 0.1% | +0.5% |
| 1941 | 6.1% | +9918.4% |
| 1942 | 9.4% | +53.5% |
| 1944 | 9.4% | -0.5% |
| 1950 | 0.5% | -95.0% |
| 1951 | 0.5% | -2.0% |
| 1952 | 0.5% | +8.4% |
| 1953 | 0.5% | -2.5% |
| 1954 | 0.5% | -2.2% |
| 1955 | 0.5% | -2.0% |
| 1956 | 0.5% | +7.9% |
| 1957 | 0.5% | +6.6% |
| 1958 | 0.5% | -10.5% |
| 1959 | 0.5% | +6.8% |
| 1960 | 0.5% | -1.7% |
| 1961 | 0.5% | +6.2% |
| 1962 | 0.5% | -10.0% |
| 1963 | 0.5% | -2.0% |
| 1964 | 0.5% | +6.1% |
| 1965 | 0.5% | -1.6% |
| 1966 | 0.5% | -1.8% |
| 1967 | 0.5% | -1.8% |
| 1968 | 0.5% | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 0.5% | +6.7% |
| 1970 | 0.5% | -1.4% |
| 1971 | 0.5% | -1.5% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 0.4% | -8.9% |
| 1974 | 0.4% | -2.1% |
| 1975 | 0.4% | -1.9% |
| 1976 | 0.4% | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 0.4% | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 0.4% | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.4% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 0.4% | -8.0% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | -1.0% |
| 1983 | 0.4% | +6.9% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | -0.6% |
| 1986 | 0.4% | -8.5% |
| 1987 | 0.4% | +7.4% |
| 1988 | 0.4% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 0.4% | -8.1% |
| 1990 | 0.3% | -9.2% |
| 1991 | 0.3% | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 0.3% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 0.3% | -10.2% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -1.4% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | -5.1% |
| 1998 | 0.3% | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -10.8% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 0.2% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 0.2% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | +10.0% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -11.2% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | +10.3% |
| 2022 | 0.2% | -10.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 8 |
| 1930s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 10 |
| 1940s | 6.2% | 0.1% | 9.4% | 4 |
| 1950s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More population data for New Zealand
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -14.71 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0739 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,949 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.628 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.191 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Population density 22.07 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 256,010 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in New Zealand?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in New Zealand was 0.2% in 2022, according to Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 9.4% in 1942.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1939.
- How does New Zealand rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- New Zealand ranks 119th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Ratio of military personnel to total population, expressed as a percentage.