Diabetes Rates in Oceania (2026)
Oceania has some of the highest estimated diabetes rates in the world, particularly among several Pacific island nations. According to the latest available estimates, the Marshall Islands records the highest diabetes rate in the region, while New Zealand has the lowest. This page ranks countries and territories across Oceania by estimated diabetes prevalence and compares their regional and global positions.
Diabetes Rates in Oceania Rankings
| # | Country | Est. Diabetes Prevention (%) | Global Rank | Continent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇲🇭Marshall Islands |
25.7% | 2 | Oceania |
| 2 | 🇼🇸Samoa |
25.4% | 4 | Oceania |
| 3 | 🇰🇮Kiribati |
24.6% | 6 | Oceania |
| 4 | 🇵🇫French Polynesia |
22.8% | 8 | Oceania |
| 5 | 🇳🇨New Caledonia |
22% | 11 | Oceania |
| 6 | 🇳🇷Nauru |
21.8% | 12 | Oceania |
| 7 | 🇬🇺Guam |
20.3% | 16 | Oceania |
| 8 | 🇻🇺Vanuatu |
19.7% | 18 | Oceania |
| 9 | 🇹🇴Tonga |
19.6% | 19 | Oceania |
| 10 | 🇵🇼Palau |
19.3% | 20 | Oceania |
| 11 | 🇹🇻Tuvalu |
19% | 24 | Oceania |
| 12 | 🇳🇺Niue |
18.1% | 25 | Oceania |
| 13 | 🇫🇯Fiji |
16.6% | 29 | Oceania |
| 14 | 🇵🇬Papua New Guinea |
14.1% | 36 | Oceania |
| 15 | 🇸🇧Solomon Islands |
12% | 56 | Oceania |
| 16 | 🇦🇺Australia |
7.4% | 137 | Oceania |
| 17 | 🇳🇿New Zealand |
6.7% | 156 | Oceania |
Key Findings
Marshall Islands Has the Highest Diabetes Rate in Oceania
- Marshall Islands ranks #1 in Oceania with an estimated diabetes prevalence of 25.7%.
- It is followed by Samoa (25.4%), Kiribati (24.6%), and French Polynesia (22.8%).
Many Pacific Island Nations Report Very High Diabetes Rates
- Marshall Islands, Samoa, Kiribati, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Nauru, Guam, Vanuatu, Tonga, and Palau all have estimated diabetes prevalence above 19%.
- This highlights the significant diabetes burden across many Pacific island countries.
Australia and New Zealand Rank Much Lower
- Australia records 7.4%, while New Zealand reports 6.7%, making them the two lowest-ranked countries in Oceania.
- Both countries have substantially lower diabetes prevalence than most Pacific island nations.
Oceania Has the World's Highest Regional Diabetes Rates
- Several Oceanian countries rank among the highest globally for estimated diabetes prevalence.
- The region's highest rate reaches 25.7% in the Marshall Islands.
Large Differences Exist Across Oceania
- Diabetes prevalence ranges from 25.7% in the Marshall Islands to 6.7% in New Zealand.
- This represents a difference of 19 percentage points across the region.
Top 10 Countries with the Highest Diabetes Rates in Oceania
- Marshall Islands — 25.7%
- Samoa — 25.4%
- Kiribati — 24.6%
- French Polynesia — 22.8%
- New Caledonia — 22.0%
- Nauru — 21.8%
- Guam — 20.3%
- Vanuatu — 19.7%
- Tonga — 19.6%
- Palau — 19.3%
Top 10 Countries with the Lowest Diabetes Rates in Oceania
- New Zealand — 6.7%
- Australia — 7.4%
- Solomon Islands — 12.0%
- Papua New Guinea — 14.1%
- Fiji — 16.6%
- Niue — 18.1%
- Tuvalu — 19.0%
- Palau — 19.3%
- Tonga — 19.6%
- Vanuatu — 19.7%
About Diabetes Rates in Oceania
Diabetes prevalence varies widely across Oceania, with many Pacific island countries reporting significantly higher rates than Australia and New Zealand. In this dataset, the Marshall Islands records the highest estimated diabetes prevalence at 25.7%, followed by Samoa (25.4%), Kiribati (24.6%), and French Polynesia (22.8%). These countries rank among the highest not only in Oceania but also globally.
Several other Pacific nations, including New Caledonia, Nauru, Guam, Vanuatu, and Tonga, also report diabetes prevalence rates above 19%. In contrast, Australia (7.4%) and New Zealand (6.7%) have substantially lower estimated rates, placing them near the bottom of the regional ranking.
The differences in diabetes prevalence across Oceania may be influenced by factors such as obesity, dietary patterns, physical activity, genetics, healthcare access, and population demographics. Since data collection methods may vary between countries and territories, these estimates should be interpreted primarily as a regional comparison.
Sources
Definitions & Methodology
What do diabetes rates in Oceania measure?
Diabetes rates in Oceania measure the estimated percentage of adults living with diabetes in each country or territory. The ranking is based on diabetes prevalence rather than the total number of diabetes cases.
How are Oceanian countries ranked?
Countries and territories are ranked from highest to lowest based on estimated diabetes prevalence. A higher percentage indicates that a larger share of adults is living with diabetes.
What does the diabetes percentage mean?
The percentage represents the estimated proportion of adults living with diabetes. For example, 25.7% means that approximately 26 out of every 100 adults are estimated to have diabetes.
Why do diabetes rates vary across Oceania?
Diabetes prevalence may differ because of obesity, dietary habits, physical activity, genetics, healthcare access, population age, socioeconomic conditions, and differences in health reporting.
Diabetes Rates in Oceania FAQs
Which country has the highest diabetes rate in Oceania?
Marshall Islands has the highest diabetes rate in Oceania in this dataset at 25.7%, followed by Samoa, Kiribati, and French Polynesia.
Which country has the lowest diabetes rate in Oceania?
New Zealand has the lowest diabetes rate in Oceania in this dataset at 6.7%, followed by Australia (7.4%) and the Solomon Islands (12.0%).
Which Oceanian countries have diabetes rates above 20%?
Marshall Islands, Samoa, Kiribati, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Nauru, and Guam all have estimated diabetes prevalence rates above 20%.
How does Australia compare with New Zealand?
In this dataset, Australia (7.4%) has a slightly higher estimated diabetes prevalence than New Zealand (6.7%).
How are diabetes rates in Oceania measured?
Diabetes rates in Oceania are measured as the estimated percentage of adults living with diabetes in each country or territory, allowing places with different population sizes to be compared using prevalence rather than total cases.