Countries by Research and Development Spending 2024

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Countries by Research and Development Spending 2024

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Key Findings

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Israel leads in R&D Spending (% of GDP) with 5.60 in 2024.

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Average R&D Spending (% of GDP) in 2024: 3.75 · median: 3.35.

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Gap in 2024: Israel is 1.9× larger than Finland.

About This Dataset

Countries by Research and Development Spending 2024

Countries ranked by total R&D expenditure as a percentage of GDP in 2024 according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics and OECD data. Israel and South Korea consistently compete for the top position in R&D intensity, each investing over 4% of GDP in research and development — reflecting deliberate national strategies to build innovation-driven economies.

Analysis

Israel heads the table on 5.60, ahead of South Korea (4.90) and United States (3.50) in R&D Spending (% of GDP) in 2024. 2.70 separates the highest figure (5.60) from the lowest (2.90) in R&D Spending (% of GDP). First and second are separated by 0.70, so the leader sits inside the field rather than apart from it. Places 3 to 8 are close together, spanning 3.50 to 2.90 R&D Spending (% of GDP).

Data Insights Below

Data Insights

Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart

Client

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Data Points

8 categories · 1 year

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Top Value

5.60

Israel

R&D Spending (% of GDP) · 2024

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Metrics

R&D Spending (% of GDP)

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Period

2024

Single year snapshot

Methodology & source

Data source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Coverage: 8 entities · 2024 · 8 observations
Measure: R&D Spending (% of GDP)
Last updated: 6 September 2026
Compiled by: The ANYSTAT team, from the source above

How the figures are calculated

Values use the measure and unit named on this page. Consult the dataset description and cited source for coverage, definitions and any unit conversions. Displayed values may be rounded for readability.
Entities are ranked highest-first on their value in 2024.

Rankings & Full Data

8 records · R&D Spending (% of GDP) · ranked by 2024

✓ 8 sourced

#	Category	2024
🥇	Israel	5.60
🥈	South Korea	4.90
🥉	United States	3.50
4	Switzerland	3.40
5	Sweden	3.30
6	Japan	3.30
7	Germany	3.10
8	Finland	2.90

Data Sources & References

All external sources cited in this dataset

1 https://uis.unesco.org/en/topic/research-and-development Visit ↗

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APA

ANYSTAT. (2026). Countries by Research and Development Spending 2024 [Data set]. Data: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. https://anystat.ai/stats/208/countries-most-research-development-spend

MLA

"Countries by Research and Development Spending 2024." ANYSTAT, 6 Sep. 2026, https://anystat.ai/stats/208/countries-most-research-development-spend.

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<a href="https://anystat.ai/stats/208/countries-most-research-development-spend">Countries by Research and Development Spending 2024</a> (ANYSTAT)

Countries by Research and Development Spending 2024