New Zealand ranked third most creative country in the world

New Zealand has been ranked third in the Global Creativity Index 2015. Photo / iStock

The world-famous "Kiwi ingenuity" has been recognised in a global creativity index that ranks economic growth and sustainable prosperity.

New Zealand has been ranked third in the Global Creativity Index 2015, following closely behind top-ranked Australia and the USA.

Australia jumped from fifth to first since the 2011 index, while New Zealand has gone from sixth to third.

The data, collected by the Martin Prosperity Institute, acts as a measure for "advanced economic growth" based on what the institute calls "the three Ts of economic development" - talent, technology and tolerance.

Australia led the talent table, with Iceland second and New Zealand ninth.

South Korea topped the technology data, with Japan second and New Zealand seventh.

And for tolerance, New Zealand grabbed third spot, behind Canada and Iceland.

New Zealand also topped a table for global racial and ethnic tolerance, with 93 per cent of Kiwis surveyed saying their city is a good place for racial and ethnic minorities.

Burkina Faso was second (92 per cent) and Canada third (91 per cent).