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Story: National income and GDP

GDP per capita for selected OECD countries

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GDP per capita, OECD countries, 2002

Using current PPPs this graph charts gross domestic product (GDP) per capita for seven countries against the OECD average (which is 100). It shows that in 1976 the New Zealand GDP was above the OECD average, and the country ranked 12th out of 26 countries. By 2006 New Zealand had fallen to 83% of the average, and was ranked 22nd out of 30 OECD countries. There is some uncertainty with such computations using current PPPs, because there are small variations in data and methods over time and between countries. But these variations are unlikely to affect this trend.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: United Nations Human Development Report, 2004

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How to cite this page

Jeff Cope, National income and GDP – International comparisons, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/23587/gdp-per-capita-for-selected-oecd-countries (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jeff Cope, published 26 February 2010.