Countries by Research and Development Spending 2024

About This Dataset

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.

✨ AI Insight

Israel's dominance in R&D spending at 5.6% of GDP underscores its strategic focus on innovation, significantly outpacing South Korea's 4.9%. The gap between these two leaders and the rest of the pack, such as Switzerland at 3.4% and the United States at 3.5%, indicates a clear prioritization of research in their national agendas. Countries like Germany and Finland, with R&D spending of 3.1% and 2.9% respectively, reflect a more moderate investment approach. This trend suggests that nations heavily investing in R&D are likely to foster stronger innovation ecosystems, potentially leading to greater economic growth and technological advancement in the long term.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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Israel leads with 6 in 2024.

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Average value in 2024: 4 · median: 3.

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