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Countries Ranked by Researchers in R&D per million (2023)

Researchers in R&D per million: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).

Summary

Liechtenstein ranks #1 with 18,130 per million people. That is 1.9 times Korea, Rep. in second place (9,472 per million people). The top five are Liechtenstein, Korea, Rep., Sweden, Denmark and Singapore. The median across all 109 is 1,120 per million people; Guatemala is last at 1.45 per million people.

#1
Liechtenstein · 18,130 per million people
Median
1,120 per million people
Coverage
109 countries
Data year
2023
Last updated
2026-11-14
Top 10: Researchers in R&D per millionBar chart of the top 10: 1. Liechtenstein 18,130; 2. Korea, Rep. 9,472; 3. Sweden 8,911; 4. Denmark 8,838; 5. Singapore 8,782; 6. Finland 8,315; 7. Norway 7,451; 8. Austria 6,634; 9. Netherlands 6,563; 10. Switzerland 6,108.Liechtenstein18,130Korea, Rep.9,472Sweden8,911Denmark8,838Singapore8,782Finland8,315Norway7,451Austria6,634Netherlands6,563Switzerland6,108
Top 10: Researchers in R&D per million (per million people). Bar chart of the top 10: 1. Liechtenstein 18,130; 2. Korea, Rep. 9,472; 3. Sweden 8,911; 4. Denmark 8,838; 5. Singapore 8,782; 6. Finland 8,315; 7. Norway 7,451; 8. Austria 6,634; 9. Netherlands 6,563; 10. Switzerland 6,108.
Researchers in R&D per million over time, top 5Korea, Rep.: 2,161 in 1999 to 9,472 in 2023; Sweden: 4,509 in 1999 to 8,911 in 2023; Denmark: 3,565 in 1999 to 8,838 in 2023; Singapore: 3,196 in 1999 to 8,782 in 2022.02,3684,7367,1049,472199920112023Korea, Rep.SwedenDenmarkSingapore
Researchers in R&D per million over time, top 5 (per million people). Korea, Rep.: 2,161 in 1999 to 9,472 in 2023; Sweden: 4,509 in 1999 to 8,911 in 2023; Denmark: 3,565 in 1999 to 8,838 in 2023; Singapore: 3,196 in 1999 to 8,782 in 2022.

Full ranking

Countries Ranked by Researchers in R&D per million, 2023
RankCountryResearchers in R&D per million (per million people)Year
1Liechtenstein18,1302023
2Korea, Rep.9,4722023
3Sweden8,9112023
4Denmark8,8382023
5Singapore8,7822022
6Finland8,3152023
7Norway7,4512023
8Austria6,6342023
9Netherlands6,5632023
10Switzerland6,1082023
11Belgium5,9902023
12Portugal5,9832023
13Iceland5,9532023
14Germany5,9262023
15Hong Kong SAR, China5,8742024
16Ireland5,7532023
17Canada5,6242022
18Slovenia5,6162023
19Japan5,6092023
20New Zealand5,4362023
21France5,3692023
22Luxembourg5,3592023
23Greece5,2832023
24United States4,9382022
25Estonia4,8002023
26Macao SAR, China4,6342024
27Hungary4,5672023
28Czechia4,5052023
29Lithuania3,7042023
30Poland3,6752023
31Spain3,6542023
32Slovak Republic3,5072023
33Italy2,8552023
34Serbia2,6882024
35Türkiye2,6452023
36Russian Federation2,6392024
37United Arab Emirates2,6072021
38Croatia2,4402023
39Bulgaria2,4012023
40Malta2,3552023
41Iran, Islamic Rep.2,2402021
42Latvia2,1912023
43Cuba2,1712024
44China2,1072023
45Georgia1,8962024
46Algeria1,7642024
47Cyprus1,6872023
48Tunisia1,6682024
49Azerbaijan1,6632024
50Thailand1,5922023
51Belarus1,5682024
52Argentina1,3132023
53Saudi Arabia1,2352024
54Malaysia1,2182022
55Egypt, Arab Rep.1,1202024
56Romania1,0822023
57Qatar947.82021
58Armenia942.22024
59Uruguay937.62024
60North Macedonia888.12024
61Bahrain8492024
62Viet Nam836.12023
63Montenegro764.42019
64Kazakhstan7582024
65Oman739.42024
66Chile707.12022
67Bosnia and Herzegovina705.22024
68Mauritius688.52024
69Moldova649.92024
70Uzbekistan639.52024
71Ukraine586.12022
72Mongolia535.42022
73Costa Rica507.82023
74Brunei Darussalam506.22022
75Trinidad and Tobago492.72022
76Pakistan473.72023
77South Africa444.22022
78Mexico438.22024
79Albania428.72022
80Indonesia395.32020
81Kenya3842024
82Philippines320.32020
83India259.32020
84Panama250.52024
85Bhutan236.32024
86Namibia224.82022
87Honduras187.82019
88Venezuela, RB1802023
89Iraq164.32021
90Kuwait144.82024
91Syrian Arab Republic139.92022
92Paraguay138.82023
93Rwanda133.12023
94Congo, Rep.1272022
95Sri Lanka94.52022
96Uganda81.32023
97Bolivia63.12021
98Togo57.82024
99El Salvador55.52023
100Gambia, The50.92018

Showing the top 100 of 109. Premium downloads the full list as CSV or JSON.

About the top 10

#3 Sweden

Sweden ranks #3 on this list with 8,911 per million people.

Capital
Stockholm
Continent
Europe
Income group
High income
Population
10.6 million people (2025)
GDP
US$669 billion (2025)
GDP per person
US$63,133 (2025)
Life expectancy
84.1 years (2024)
Urban population
89.1% of population (2025)

Largest cities: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö.

Also ranks #4 in r&d expenditure share of gdp · #6 in male life expectancy · #6 in control of corruption score.

Full country profile Weather in Stockholm (Purr Weather)

Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.

Related rankings

Source and method

Researchers in R&D per million: each country's latest value (2018–2023), ranked from highest to lowest.

Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.POP.SCIE.RD.P6. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.

The World Bank: Researchers in R&D (per million people): Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (via World Development Indicators)

Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.