Share of R&D personnel and researchers in total active population and employment by sector of performance and sex by country
Countries reporting
50
Highest
3.57
Belgium
Lowest
0.42
North Macedonia
Median
2
Years covered
33
1992–2024
Data points
1,090
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 50 countries. The highest value is 3.57 in Belgium; the lowest is 0.42 in North Macedonia.
The median across all reporting countries is 2, and the mean is 2.03.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 8.
Over the past decade 45 countries rose and 4 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: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | 3.57 | 2023 | up 74.1% | rising |
| 2 | Iceland | 3.46 | 2023 | up 23.6% | rising |
| 3 | Finland | 3.41 | 2024 | up 14.4% | rising |
| 4 | Austria | 3.34 | 2023 | up 21.9% | rising |
| 5 | Norway | 3.32 | 2024 | up 22.5% | rising |
| 6 | Denmark | 3.31 | 2023 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 7 | Portugal | 3.13 | 2024 | up 57.3% | volatile |
| 8 | Switzerland | 3.09 | 2023 | up 16.2% | rising |
| 9 | Sweden | 2.95 | 2023 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 10 | Germany | 2.78 | 2023 | up 29.3% | rising |
| 11 | Greece | 2.71 | 2024 | up 56.6% | rising |
| 12 | Netherlands | 2.68 | 2023 | up 24.1% | rising |
| 13 | Netherlands | 2.67 | 2024 | up 22.5% | rising |
| 14 | Slovenia | 2.6 | 2024 | up 21.5% | rising |
| 15 | Slovenia | 2.57 | 2023 | up 18.4% | rising |
| 16 | Ireland | 2.48 | 2023 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 17 | United Kingdom | 2.38 | 2018 | up 44.2% | rising |
| 17 | United Kingdom | 2.38 | 2018 | up 44.2% | rising |
| 17 | Czechia | 2.38 | 2024 | up 27.3% | rising |
| 20 | France | 2.27 | 2024 | up 15.8% | rising |
| 21 | Luxembourg | 2.19 | 2023 | down 4.4% | falling |
| 22 | Estonia | 2.15 | 2024 | up 34.4% | rising |
| 23 | South Korea | 2.12 | 2011 | up 81.2% | rising |
| 23 | South Korea | 2.12 | 2011 | up 81.2% | rising |
| 25 | Italy | 2.05 | 2024 | up 36.7% | rising |
| 26 | Estonia | 1.96 | 2023 | up 25.6% | rising |
| 27 | Poland | 1.88 | 2023 | up 116.1% | rising |
| 27 | Spain | 1.88 | 2024 | up 28.8% | rising |
| 29 | Hungary | 1.87 | 2024 | up 48.4% | rising |
| 30 | Poland | 1.85 | 2024 | up 103.3% | rising |
| 31 | Lithuania | 1.83 | 2024 | up 8.3% | rising |
| 32 | Lithuania | 1.79 | 2023 | up 13.3% | rising |
| 33 | Latvia | 1.7 | 2024 | up 47.8% | rising |
| 34 | Croatia | 1.66 | 2023 | up 74.7% | rising |
| 35 | Croatia | 1.62 | 2024 | up 80.0% | rising |
| 36 | Latvia | 1.57 | 2023 | up 49.5% | rising |
| 36 | Slovakia | 1.57 | 2024 | up 51.0% | rising |
| 38 | Slovakia | 1.51 | 2023 | up 51.0% | rising |
| 39 | Bulgaria | 1.24 | 2024 | up 61.0% | rising |
| 40 | Türkiye | 1.21 | 2024 | up 59.2% | rising |
| 41 | Malta | 1.17 | 2024 | unchanged | rising |
| 42 | Serbia | 1.02 | 2024 | up 39.7% | rising |
| 42 | Serbia | 1.02 | 2024 | up 39.7% | rising |
| 44 | Russia | 0.96 | 2012 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 44 | Russia | 0.96 | 2012 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 46 | Cyprus | 0.86 | 2023 | up 21.1% | rising |
| 47 | Montenegro | 0.83 | 2019 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 48 | Romania | 0.62 | 2024 | up 14.8% | rising |
| 49 | North Macedonia | 0.42 | 2022 | up 40.0% | rising |
| 49 | North Macedonia | 0.42 | 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.