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

R&D expenditure (% of GDP) — World

R&D expenditure (% of GDP) in the world in 2023 — 2.6%. Since 1996, the indicator has risen by 0.63 pp.

2023 2.6% +0.03 pp vs 2022
World rank
Period maximum 2.6%2023
Period minimum 1.92%2007

Trend over time

1996–2023 · % of GDP

R&D expenditure (% of GDP) — World, 1996–20231.822.22.42.619961999200220052008201120142017202020231996: 1.96%1997: 1.96%1998: 1.97%1999: 2.05%2000: 2.05%2001: 2.06%2002: 2.03%2003: 2.02%2004: 1.97%2005: 1.95%2006: 1.96%2007: 1.92%2008: 1.98%2009: 2.01%2010: 2%2011: 1.98%2012: 2.01%2013: 1.98%2014: 2.09%2015: 2.1%2016: 2.15%2017: 2.14%2018: 2.22%2019: 2.26%2020: 2.46%2021: 2.52%2022: 2.57%2023: 2.6%
Change over the period: +0.63 pp Annual average: 0.02 pp

Comparison, 2023

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

World 2.6%
World 2.6%
R&D expenditure (% of GDP) — World, by year World All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2023 2.6 +0.03 pp
2022 2.57 +0.05 pp
2021 2.52 +0.07 pp
2020 2.46 +0.19 pp
2019 2.26 +0.05 pp
2018 2.22 +0.08 pp
2017 2.14 −0.01 pp
2016 2.15 +0.04 pp
2015 2.1 +0.02 pp
2014 2.09 +0.11 pp
2013 1.98 −0.04 pp
2012 2.01 +0.03 pp
2011 1.98 −0.02 pp
2010 2 −0.01 pp
2009 2.01 +0.04 pp
2008 1.98 +0.05 pp
2007 1.92 −0.03 pp
2006 1.96 +0.01 pp
2005 1.95 −0.02 pp
2004 1.97 −0.05 pp
2003 2.02 −0.01 pp
2002 2.03 −0.04 pp
2001 2.06 +0.02 pp
2000 2.05 −0 pp
1999 2.05 +0.07 pp
1998 1.97 +0.01 pp
1997 1.96 −0 pp
1996 1.96

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.