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Countries With the Fastest Decline in R&D expenditure share of GDP (5-Year Change)

Change in R&D expenditure share of GDP over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that fell are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).

Summary

Norway fell the most: by 0.183 pts, from 2.03% of GDP to 1.85% of GDP in the five years to 2023. Thailand is second (−0.178 pts), followed by South Africa (−0.148 pts). 31 countries fell over that period; the median change among them was −0.048 pts.

#1
Norway · −0.183 pts
Median
−0.048 pts
Coverage
31 countries
Data year
2023
Last updated
2026-11-14
Top 10: 5-year change (points)Bar chart of the top 10: 1. Norway -0.183; 2. Thailand -0.178; 3. South Africa -0.148; 4. Hungary -0.125; 5. Cuba -0.115; 6. Luxembourg -0.1; 7. Russian Federation -0.098; 8. Kuwait -0.096; 9. Mauritius -0.095; 10. Singapore -0.089.Norway-0.183Thailand-0.178South Africa-0.148Hungary-0.125Cuba-0.115Luxembourg-0.1Russian Federation-0.098Kuwait-0.096Mauritius-0.095Singapore-0.089
Top 10: 5-year change (points). Bar chart of the top 10: 1. Norway -0.183; 2. Thailand -0.178; 3. South Africa -0.148; 4. Hungary -0.125; 5. Cuba -0.115; 6. Luxembourg -0.1; 7. Russian Federation -0.098; 8. Kuwait -0.096; 9. Mauritius -0.095; 10. Singapore -0.089.

Full ranking

Countries With the Fastest Decline in R&D expenditure share of GDP (5-Year Change), 2023
RankCountryFromTo5-year change (points)
1Norway2.031.85−0.183 pts
2Thailand1.110.936−0.178 pts
3South Africa0.7630.615−0.148 pts
4Hungary1.51.38−0.125 pts
5Cuba0.5530.438−0.115 pts
6Luxembourg1.171.07−0.1 pts
7Russian Federation1.040.937−0.098 pts
8Kuwait0.1850.09−0.096 pts
9Mauritius0.3570.262−0.095 pts
10Singapore1.91.81−0.089 pts
11Colombia0.3650.289−0.076 pts
12Burkina Faso0.1740.105−0.07 pts
13Ukraine0.4340.37−0.064 pts
14El Salvador0.1650.102−0.064 pts
15Mongolia0.1340.084−0.051 pts
16India0.6930.646−0.048 pts
17Czechia1.881.83−0.043 pts
18Italy1.421.38−0.04 pts
19Myanmar0.0590.023−0.036 pts
20Trinidad and Tobago0.0860.05−0.035 pts
21Costa Rica0.3710.337−0.034 pts
22United Kingdom2.712.68−0.033 pts
23Kyrgyz Republic0.0850.053−0.033 pts
24France2.22.18−0.026 pts
25Moldova0.2410.216−0.026 pts
26Guatemala0.0290.0061−0.023 pts
27Mexico0.2760.254−0.023 pts
28Georgia0.2820.264−0.018 pts
29Tajikistan0.1030.09−0.014 pts
30Sri Lanka0.1180.105−0.013 pts
31Paraguay0.1470.141−0.0057 pts

About the top 10

#3 South Africa

South Africa ranks #3 on this list with −0.148 pts.

Capital
Pretoria, Cape Town
Continent
Africa
Income group
Upper middle income
Population
64.75 million people (2025)
GDP
US$427.18 billion (2025)
GDP per person
US$6,598 (2025)
Life expectancy
66.3 years (2024)
Urban population
63.8% of population (2025)

Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.

Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.

Full country profile

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

Change in R&D expenditure share of GDP over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that fell are listed.

Source: The World Bank, indicator GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.

The World Bank: Research and development expenditure (% of GDP): 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 (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.