R&D expenditure (% of GDP) — all countries

R&D expenditure (% of GDP) — Northern America

R&D expenditure (% of GDP) in Northern America in 2020 — 3.31%. Since 1997, the indicator has risen by 0.9 pp.

2020 3.31% +0.27 pp vs 2019
World rank
Period maximum 3.31%2020
Period minimum 2.42%1997

Trend over time

1997–2020 · % of GDP

R&D expenditure (% of GDP) — Northern America, 1997–20202.252.52.7533.253.51997200020032006200920122015201820201997: 2.42%2007: 2.55%2008: 2.66%2009: 2.71%2010: 2.63%2011: 2.64%2012: 2.58%2013: 2.6%2014: 2.62%2015: 2.69%2018: 2.89%2019: 3.04%2020: 3.31%
Change over the period: +0.9 pp Annual average: 0.04 pp

Comparison, 2020

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Northern America

Northern America 3.31%
World 2.46%
R&D expenditure (% of GDP) — Northern America, by year Northern America All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2020 3.31 +0.27 pp
2019 3.04 +0.15 pp
2018 2.89
2015 2.69 +0.07 pp
2014 2.62 +0.02 pp
2013 2.6 +0.02 pp
2012 2.58 −0.06 pp
2011 2.64 +0.01 pp
2010 2.63 −0.09 pp
2009 2.71 +0.06 pp
2008 2.66 +0.11 pp
2007 2.55
1997 2.42

About the indicator

Gross domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) as a percentage of GDP — all current and capital spending by business, government, universities and nonprofit organizations on basic and applied research. The threshold of 3% of GDP is the target adopted in the EU; the leaders (Israel, South Korea) exceed 4.5%.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), license CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO.