Countries With the Fastest Growth in Researchers in R&D per million (5-Year Change)
Change in Researchers in R&D per million 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 rose are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Greece rose the most: by 1,867, from 3,416 per million people to 5,283 per million people in the five years to 2023. Singapore is second (+1,832), followed by Hong Kong SAR, China (+1,633). 60 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +485.3.
- #1
- Greece · +1,867
- Median
- +485.3
- Coverage
- 60 countries
- Data year
- 2023
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (per million people) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greece | 3,416 | 5,283 | +1,867 |
| 2 | Singapore | 6,950 | 8,782 | +1,832 |
| 3 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 4,240 | 5,874 | +1,633 |
| 4 | Korea, Rep. | 7,919 | 9,472 | +1,553 |
| 5 | Sweden | 7,426 | 8,911 | +1,485 |
| 6 | Finland | 6,873 | 8,315 | +1,442 |
| 7 | Portugal | 4,614 | 5,983 | +1,369 |
| 8 | Denmark | 7,598 | 8,838 | +1,240 |
| 9 | Canada | 4,429 | 5,624 | +1,195 |
| 10 | Ireland | 4,657 | 5,753 | +1,096 |
| 11 | Netherlands | 5,497 | 6,563 | +1,067 |
| 12 | Türkiye | 1,585 | 2,645 | +1,060 |
| 13 | Macao SAR, China | 3,588 | 4,634 | +1,047 |
| 14 | Estonia | 3,766 | 4,800 | +1,034 |
| 15 | Norway | 6,484 | 7,451 | +966.4 |
| 16 | Austria | 5,682 | 6,634 | +951.2 |
| 17 | Belgium | 5,040 | 5,990 | +950.1 |
| 18 | United States | 4,021 | 4,938 | +916.9 |
| 19 | China | 1,318 | 2,107 | +789.8 |
| 20 | Slovenia | 4,881 | 5,616 | +735.8 |
| 21 | Hungary | 3,847 | 4,567 | +720.6 |
| 22 | Germany | 5,209 | 5,926 | +716.9 |
| 23 | France | 4,671 | 5,369 | +698.1 |
| 24 | Spain | 2,984 | 3,654 | +669.5 |
| 25 | Luxembourg | 4,755 | 5,359 | +604.2 |
| 26 | Serbia | 2,087 | 2,688 | +600.2 |
| 27 | Czechia | 3,907 | 4,505 | +597.9 |
| 28 | Poland | 3,080 | 3,675 | +595.6 |
| 29 | Lithuania | 3,181 | 3,704 | +522.9 |
| 30 | Slovak Republic | 3,003 | 3,507 | +503.2 |
| 31 | Croatia | 1,973 | 2,440 | +467.3 |
| 32 | Malta | 1,905 | 2,355 | +450.1 |
| 33 | Latvia | 1,786 | 2,191 | +404.6 |
| 34 | Oman | 382.9 | 739.4 | +356.5 |
| 35 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 776.6 | 1,120 | +343.6 |
| 36 | Italy | 2,524 | 2,855 | +330.8 |
| 37 | Iceland | 5,646 | 5,953 | +306.8 |
| 38 | Cyprus | 1,385 | 1,687 | +301.3 |
| 39 | Japan | 5,340 | 5,609 | +269.1 |
| 40 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 451 | 705.2 | +254.1 |
| 41 | Uzbekistan | 422.1 | 639.5 | +217.4 |
| 42 | Philippines | 103.2 | 320.3 | +217.1 |
| 43 | Chile | 494.6 | 707.1 | +212.4 |
| 44 | Romania | 876.2 | 1,082 | +205.9 |
| 45 | Costa Rica | 349.5 | 507.8 | +158.3 |
| 46 | Mauritius | 543.6 | 688.5 | +145 |
| 47 | Panama | 110.7 | 250.5 | +139.8 |
| 48 | Kazakhstan | 619.7 | 758 | +138.4 |
| 49 | Uruguay | 803.4 | 937.6 | +134.2 |
| 50 | Georgia | 1,788 | 1,896 | +107.6 |
| 51 | Iraq | 62.3 | 164.3 | +102 |
| 52 | Montenegro | 665.3 | 764.4 | +99.1 |
| 53 | United Arab Emirates | 2,510 | 2,607 | +97.2 |
| 54 | Argentina | 1,221 | 1,313 | +91.9 |
| 55 | Mexico | 355.3 | 438.2 | +82.9 |
| 56 | Bulgaria | 2,344 | 2,401 | +57.1 |
| 57 | India | 214.4 | 259.3 | +44.9 |
| 58 | Cuba | 2,137 | 2,171 | +34.6 |
| 59 | North Macedonia | 858.8 | 888.1 | +29.3 |
| 60 | Togo | 45.3 | 57.8 | +12.5 |
About the top 10
#1 Greece
Greece ranks #1 on this list with +1,867.
- Capital
- Athens
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 10.41 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$280.64 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$26,948 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #4 in physicians per 1,000 · #6 in population ages 65+ share.
#2 Singapore
Singapore ranks #2 on this list with +1,832.
- Capital
- Singapore
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 6.11 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$603.87 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$98,814 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Singapore.
Also ranks #1 in gdp per capita ppp · #1 in government debt share of gdp · #1 in human capital index.
#3 Hong Kong SAR, China
Hong Kong SAR, China ranks #3 on this list with +1,633.
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 7.5 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$427.31 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$56,983 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 85.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 100% of population (2025)
- International tourist arrivals
- 3.57 million arrivals (2020)
Also ranks #1 in female population share · #1 in trade share of gdp · #2 in female life expectancy.
#4 Korea, Rep.
Korea, Rep. ranks #4 on this list with +1,553.
- Capital
- Seoul
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 51.69 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.87 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$36,227 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 81.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Seoul, Busan, Incheon.
Also ranks #1 in hospital beds per 10,000 · #2 in atms per 100,000 adults · #2 in researchers in r&d per million.
#5 Sweden
Sweden ranks #5 on this list with +1,485.
- 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 #3 in researchers in r&d per million · #4 in r&d expenditure share of gdp · #6 in male life expectancy.
#6 Finland
Finland ranks #6 on this list with +1,442.
- Capital
- Helsinki
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.65 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$317.04 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$56,149 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 74.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in rule of law score · #2 in bank accounts share (adults) · #2 in control of corruption score.
#7 Portugal
Portugal ranks #7 on this list with +1,369.
- Capital
- Lisbon
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 10.81 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$346.64 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$32,082 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 61.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in age dependency ratio (old) · #5 in population ages 65+ share · #5 in physicians per 1,000.
#8 Denmark
Denmark ranks #8 on this list with +1,240.
- Capital
- Copenhagen
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 6.01 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$462.53 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$76,970 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 88.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense.
Also ranks #1 in control of corruption score · #2 in arable land share · #2 in rule of law score.
#9 Canada
Canada ranks #9 on this list with +1,195.
- Capital
- Ottawa
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 41.65 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.32 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$55,698 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 82.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 82.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Toronto, Montreal, Calgary.
Also ranks #2 in surface area · #3 in forest area · #4 in land area.
#10 Ireland
Ireland ranks #10 on this list with +1,096.
- Capital
- Dublin
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.48 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$721.7 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$131,590 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 83 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 64.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in gdp per capita ppp · #3 in air passengers carried · #3 in manufacturing value added share of gdp.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Researchers in R&D per million 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 rose are listed.
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 (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.