United States and New Zealand
Defense, Pacific cooperation and business ties have their own frameworks. The Wellington and Washington declarations consolidated dialogue. Business visas, travel and academic programs connect people and institutions under different rules.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07The Wellington Declaration
The official treaty register dates the signing and effect of the Wellington Declaration to November 4, 2010.
Washington and Pacific cooperation
New Zealand's foreign ministry identifies the 2012 Washington Declaration as a framework for closer defense relations.
Companies and new sectors
The Foreign Affairs profile describes the United States as an important market for primary goods and services, and a source of investment and technological cooperation.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 9,669.4 M USD | 2025 · Census |
| Goods: United States to New Zealand | 4,090.5 M USD | 2025 · Census |
| Goods: New Zealand to United States | 5,578.9 M USD | 2025 · Census |
| Services trade | 6,700 M USDUSTR est. | 2025 · USTR |
| Export share: United States to New Zealand | 0.19 % | 2025 · Census |
| Export share: New Zealand to United States | ||
| Investment stock: United States in New Zealand | 8,066 M USDBEA est. | 2025 · BEA |
| Investment stock: New Zealand in United States | 3,628 M USDBEA est. | 2025 · BEA |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Goods, January–December 2025, United States reporter. Not services or affiliate production.
- Goods: United States to New Zealand
- 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Goods, January–December 2025, United States reporter. Not services or affiliate production.
- Goods: New Zealand to United States
- 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · Goods, January–December 2025, United States reporter. Not services or affiliate production.
- Services trade
- 2025 · USTR · USTR estimate of services trade; not goods. Published total, not recalculated from rounded components.
- Export share: United States to New Zealand
- 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · U.S. Census Bureau (other direction) · US goods exports to the partner / US goods exports to the world; same year and reporter.
- Investment stock: United States in New Zealand
- 2025 · BEA · Direct investment position at historical cost; immediate counterparty. Not portfolio investment or announced commitments. Published negative values are retained.
- Investment stock: New Zealand in United States
- 2025 · BEA · Direct investment position at historical cost; immediate counterparty. Not portfolio investment or announced commitments. Published negative values are retained.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | United States | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 30.77 trillion USD2025 · WB | 264.06 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 90,026.52 USD2025 · WB | 49,591.04 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 2.16 %2025 · WB | 0.46 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 3.75–4 %2026-09-16 · Fed | |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.7 %IMF est.Annual average · 2025 · IMF | 2.84 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 3.4 %Year-on-year · Aug. 2026 · BLS | |
| Unemployment | 4.2 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 5.08 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -6.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -3.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 123.9 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 54.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -3.63 %2025 · WB | -3.62 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 341,784,8572025 · WB | 5,324,7002025 · WB |
| Area | 9,831,510 km²2023 · BM / FAO | 267,710 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDUnited States: 2025 · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personUnited States: 2025 · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)United States: 2025 · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)United States: 2026-09-16 · Federal funds target range · Federal Reserve
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)United States: 2025 · Average annual change in headline CPI (%) · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est. · WEO estimate; not the year-on-year change for December or August 2026. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07New Zealand: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedUnited States: 2026-08 · Headline CPI change relative to the same month of the previous year (%) · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Published: 2026-09-11 · Headline year-on-year CPI-U, not seasonally adjusted; not monthly or core inflation.
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionUnited States: 2025 · World Bank · ILO est.New Zealand: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate; percentage of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)United States: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.New Zealand: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)United States: 2025 · IMF — World Economic Outlook · IMF est.New Zealand: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · WEO general-government estimate, % of GDP. Not an observed balance for the current month.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPUnited States: 2025 · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Population
- PeopleUnited States: 2025 · World BankNew Zealand: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceUnited States: 2023 · Total area including inland waters; territorial coverage of the source · World Bank · FAONew Zealand: 2023 · World Bank · Official World Bank series. Observation year, not download date.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
United States to New Zealand
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 425.7 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 299.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 200.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 103 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 62.4 M USD2025 · Source |
New Zealand to United States
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
| Machinery and mechanical appliances | 367.9 M USD2025 · Source |
| Electrical and electronic equipment | 189.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Pharmaceutical products | 88.3 M USD2025 · Source |
| Land vehicles and components | 9.8 M USD2025 · Source |
| Mineral fuels and oils | 0.2 M USD2025 · Source |
How trade has changed
Billions of current USD · full calendar years
View chart figures
| Period | Total | United States to New Zealand | New Zealand to United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 8,663.4 | 3,717.1 | 4,946.3 |
| 2022 | 9,538.8 | 4,166.3 | 5,372.5 |
| 2023 | 9,889.9 | 4,350.2 | 5,539.7 |
| 2024 | 10,099.4 | 4,487.8 | 5,611.6 |
| 2025 | 9,669.4 | 4,090.5 | 5,578.9 |
Connections between people
Fulbright programs, travel and temporary work mechanisms have different conditions and measures; they are not added as one mobile population. [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from United States living in New Zealand | ||
| Residents from New Zealand living in United States | ||
| Study and training: United States in New Zealand | ||
| Study and training: New Zealand in United StatesStudy and OPT training in the United States | 1,781 | 2024/25 · IIE / Open Doors |
| Academic stays: United States in New ZealandU.S. study-abroad stays carrying academic credit | 3,038 | 2023/24 · IIE / Open Doors |
| Academic stays: New Zealand in United States | ||
| Travel: United States to New Zealand | ||
| Travel: New Zealand to United StatesCountry of residence; international arrivals in the United States | 230,074arrivals | 2025 · NTTO |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
- Study and training: New Zealand in United States
- Open Doors: students by place of origin, including OPT practical training. Not visas or residents. 2024/25 · IIE / Open Doors
- Academic stays: United States in New Zealand
- Mobility for academic credit reported by US institutions. Not the total number of residents or enrolment on a particular date. 2023/24 · IIE / Open Doors
- Travel: New Zealand to United States
- Arrivals by country of residence; not nationality, unique travellers or permanent residence. NTTO series coverage. 2025 · NTTO
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
The Wellington Declaration
The official treaty register dates the signing and effect of the Wellington Declaration to November 4, 2010. The document opens a strategic partnership focused on practical cooperation and political dialogue. Its registration as an arrangement and its objectives must be distinguished from a collective defense treaty or an agreement liberalizing all trade. [1]
Washington and Pacific cooperation
New Zealand's foreign ministry identifies the 2012 Washington Declaration as a framework for closer defense relations. The Wellington declaration had incorporated practical Pacific cooperation and international dialogue. The two instruments have distinct functions and dates. The current relationship combines these precedents with businesses, science and educational activity, instead of depending on a single military capability or export. [2]
Travel, work and business activity
New Zealand participates in the US Visa Waiver Program, with ESTA authorization or a visa depending on the activity. The KIWI Act of 2018 allows applications for E-1/E-2 trade and investment visas. Working holiday mechanisms and Fulbright programs also exist. Admission as a visitor does not automatically grant permission for employment or study: each pathway retains its own requirements. [2]
The scale of the two economies
The United States recorded nominal GDP of 30,769.7 billion USD in 2025, compared with 264.1 in 2025 for New Zealand. The reference populations were 341.78 million (2025) and 5.32 million (2025), respectively. In the same year, US nominal GDP was 116.53 times that of New Zealand. The figures contextualize market size; they do not in themselves describe well-being, individual wealth or political influence. IMF estimates or demographic extrapolations retain their markings in the table. A ratio is not calculated when the periods do not match. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
Companies and new sectors
The Foreign Affairs profile describes the United States as an important market for primary goods and services, and a source of investment and technological cooperation. Aerospace and innovation add activities distinct from traditional exports. This page's goods, investment and mobility statistics allow some of those connections to be observed with explicit periods, without turning the description of a sectoral priority into a count of completed projects. [2]
Observed economic exchange
In 2025, recorded goods trade between the United States and New Zealand totaled USD 9669.4 million. Shipments from the United States to New Zealand were 4090.5 million USD; those in the opposite direction were 5578.9 million USD. US shipments to the partner represented 0.19 % of its goods exports to the world, using the same year and reporting country. A single customs declaration is used for both directions. This annual flow does not include all services activity or subsidiaries' local sales and is not added to accumulated investment capital. [3]
Cross-border services
USTR estimates 6700 million USD in services trade in 2025. It is the total published by the source, not a reconstruction from rounded components. Financial and professional services and activities involving travel have coverage different from goods. Its value does not represent a traveler count or all local business by companies established in the partner country. [4]
Recorded direct investment capital, not announced investment
The US direct investment position in New Zealand was 8066 million USD in 2025. New Zealand's direct investment position in the United States was 3628 million USD in 2025. BEA uses historical cost and the immediate counterpart. The figure is capital recorded at period-end, not a purchase or promise made during the year. It may reflect subsidiary structures and financing; published negative values are not replaced with zero. It does not include all portfolio investment or allow each project to be valued individually. [5] [6]
Human connections with their own figures
In 2025, the source recorded 230,074 arrivals from New Zealand to the United States, with the coverage indicated in the table. [11]
In 2024/25, the source recorded 1781 students and OPT internship participants from New Zealand in the United States. [12]
In 2023/24, 3038 stays for academic credit were recorded from the United States to New Zealand. [12]
The counts describe different populations and periods: they are not added as a total of unique people. Open Doors includes OPT practical training; US study stays require academic credit. Arrivals by country of residence do not equate to nationality or permanent residence. The academic year retains its coverage and is not relabelled as a calendar year. [11] [12]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, unit, definition and source. Announcements, contracts and results are not interchangeable. Empty cells do not mean zero. Customs data for 2025 are not presented as activity observed during later crises.
- Wellington Declaration record
New Zealand official treaty register · Institutional source · Document: 2010-11-04 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- New Zealand's relationship with the United States
New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- TOTAL rows 2021–2025; US reporter; goods; million USD
U.S. Census Bureau · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Services exports plus imports, estimate, full calendar year 2025
USTR · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Position; country row; G=2025; million USD; historical cost; immediate counterparty
BEA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Position; country row; G=2025; million USD; historical cost; immediate counterparty
BEA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-09-17
- NY.GDP.MKTP.CD; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Official statistics
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-06
- SP.POP.TOTL; ISO and reference year; no military dataset expansion
World Bank · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Annual; country-of-residence row; AC=2025; arrivals, not unique people
NTTO · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- International Student Totals: 2024/25 incl OPT; US study abroad 2023/24. Not visa issuance.
IIE / Open Doors · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 27; 2025; reporter 842; partners 804,616,380,528,752,579,208,792,818,784,634,400,586,360,704,608,764,702,554,710,566,404,170,152,32; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / USA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 30; 2025; reporter 842; partners 804,616,380,528,752,579,208,792,818,784,634,400,586,360,704,608,764,702,554,710,566,404,170,152,32; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / USA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 84; 2025; reporter 842; partners 804,616,380,528,752,579,208,792,818,784,634,400,586,360,704,608,764,702,554,710,566,404,170,152,32; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / USA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 85; 2025; reporter 842; partners 804,616,380,528,752,579,208,792,818,784,634,400,586,360,704,608,764,702,554,710,566,404,170,152,32; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / USA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- HS2 87; 2025; reporter 842; partners 804,616,380,528,752,579,208,792,818,784,634,400,586,360,704,608,764,702,554,710,566,404,170,152,32; X/M; annual goods
UN Comtrade / USA · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07
Additional sources on products and human connections
- UN Comtrade / USA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 27; 2025; reporter 842; partners 804,616,380,528,752,579,208,792,818,784,634,400,586,360,704,608,764,702,554,710,566,404,170,152,32; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / USA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 84; 2025; reporter 842; partners 804,616,380,528,752,579,208,792,818,784,634,400,586,360,704,608,764,702,554,710,566,404,170,152,32; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / USA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 85; 2025; reporter 842; partners 804,616,380,528,752,579,208,792,818,784,634,400,586,360,704,608,764,702,554,710,566,404,170,152,32; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / USA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 87; 2025; reporter 842; partners 804,616,380,528,752,579,208,792,818,784,634,400,586,360,704,608,764,702,554,710,566,404,170,152,32; X/M; annual goods.
- UN Comtrade / USA
2026-10-07 · Accessed: 2026-10-07 · HS2 30; 2025; reporter 842; partners 804,616,380,528,752,579,208,792,818,784,634,400,586,360,704,608,764,702,554,710,566,404,170,152,32; X/M; annual goods.