Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and employment by sector of performance and sex by country
Countries reporting
48
Highest
3.6%
Belgium
Lowest
0.4%
North Macedonia
Median
2.0%
Years covered
33
1992–2024
Data points
1,043
What the numbers show
Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and employment by sector of performance and sex is currently reported for 48 countries. The highest value is 3.6% in Belgium; the lowest is 0.4% in North Macedonia.
The median across all reporting countries is 2.0%, and the mean is 2.1%.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 8.
Over the past decade 43 countries rose and 5 fell. The largest increase was in Poland (up 116.1%), and the largest decrease in Russia (down 20.0%).
Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 3.6% | 2023 | up 74.1% | rising |
| 2 | Iceland | 3.5% | 2023 | up 23.6% | rising |
| 3 | Norway | 3.4% | 2023 | up 32.9% | rising |
| 4 | Austria | 3.3% | 2023 | up 21.9% | rising |
| 5 | Finland | 3.3% | 2023 | up 9.2% | rising |
| 6 | Denmark | 3.3% | 2023 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 7 | Portugal | 3.1% | 2024 | up 57.3% | volatile |
| 8 | Switzerland | 3.1% | 2023 | up 16.2% | rising |
| 9 | Sweden | 3.0% | 2023 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 10 | Greece | 2.9% | 2023 | up 67.1% | rising |
| 11 | Germany | 2.8% | 2023 | up 29.3% | rising |
| 12 | Netherlands | 2.7% | 2023 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 12 | Netherlands | 2.7% | 2023 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 14 | Slovenia | 2.6% | 2023 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 14 | Slovenia | 2.6% | 2023 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 16 | Ireland | 2.5% | 2023 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 17 | Czechia | 2.4% | 2024 | up 27.3% | rising |
| 17 | United Kingdom | 2.4% | 2018 | up 44.2% | rising |
| 17 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 2.4% | 2018 | up 44.2% | rising |
| 20 | France | 2.2% | 2023 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 21 | Luxembourg | 2.2% | 2023 | down 4.4% | falling |
| 22 | Korea | 2.1% | 2011 | up 81.2% | rising |
| 22 | South Korea | 2.1% | 2011 | up 81.2% | rising |
| 24 | Italy | 2.1% | 2023 | up 37.5% | rising |
| 25 | Estonia | 2.0% | 2023 | up 25.6% | rising |
| 25 | Estonia | 2.0% | 2023 | up 25.6% | rising |
| 27 | Poland | 1.9% | 2023 | up 116.1% | rising |
| 27 | Poland | 1.9% | 2023 | up 116.1% | rising |
| 27 | Hungary | 1.9% | 2023 | up 43.5% | rising |
| 30 | Spain | 1.8% | 2023 | up 25.5% | rising |
| 31 | Lithuania | 1.8% | 2023 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 31 | Lithuania | 1.8% | 2023 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 33 | Croatia | 1.7% | 2023 | up 74.7% | rising |
| 33 | Croatia | 1.7% | 2023 | up 74.7% | rising |
| 35 | Latvia | 1.6% | 2023 | up 49.5% | rising |
| 35 | Latvia | 1.6% | 2023 | up 49.5% | rising |
| 37 | Slovakia | 1.5% | 2023 | up 51.0% | rising |
| 37 | Slovakia | 1.5% | 2023 | up 51.0% | rising |
| 39 | Türkiye | 1.2% | 2024 | up 59.2% | rising |
| 40 | Bulgaria | 1.2% | 2023 | up 77.6% | rising |
| 41 | Malta | 1.1% | 2023 | down 4.3% | rising |
| 42 | Serbia | 1.0% | 2024 | up 39.7% | rising |
| 43 | Russia | 1.0% | 2012 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 43 | Russian Federation | 1.0% | 2012 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 45 | Cyprus | 0.9% | 2023 | up 21.1% | rising |
| 46 | Montenegro | 0.8% | 2019 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 47 | Romania | 0.6% | 2023 | up 9.1% | rising |
| 48 | North Macedonia | 0.4% | 2022 | up 40.0% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.