Prison population rate in New Zealand
New Zealand: Prison population rate was 199 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2025. ▲ Rising
Prison population rate in New Zealand, 2000–2025
Source: Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in prisoners per 100,000 people.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 199 prisoners per 100,000 people for prison population rate in 2025.
The figure is up 32.7% on the previous year and up 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prison population rate in New Zealand peaked at 214 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2018 and was at its lowest, 145 prisoners per 100,000 people, in 2002.
That places New Zealand 72nd out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 163.2 prisoners per 100,000 people | 145 prisoners per 100,000 people | 182 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2010s | 200 prisoners per 100,000 people | 190 prisoners per 100,000 people | 214 prisoners per 100,000 people | 5 |
| 2020s | 178.33 prisoners per 100,000 people | 150 prisoners per 100,000 people | 199 prisoners per 100,000 people | 3 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 70 Bermuda 200 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 70 French Polynesia 200 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 72 Colombia 199 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 72 Venezuela 199 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 75 Albania 196 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 75 Ecuador 196 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 75 Hungary 196 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
- 75 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 196 prisoners per 100,000 people compare
More population data for New Zealand
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 256,010 people (2100)
- Population density 22.07 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 1.57 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 2,063 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 1.57 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 1.57 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 0.4% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 1.67 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prison population rate in New Zealand?
- Prison population rate in New Zealand was 199 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2025, according to Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest prison population rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 214 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2018.
- What is the lowest prison population rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 145 prisoners per 100,000 people in 2002.
- How does New Zealand rank for prison population rate?
- New Zealand ranks 72nd out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is prison population rate rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (2026); Population based on various sources (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Prison population rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Prison population (including pre-trial detainees and remand prisoners), per 100,000 population.