Based on a comparison of 89 countries in 2021, Israel ranked the highest in R&D expenditures as a percentage of GDP with 5.44% followed by South Korea and Sweden. On the other end of the scale was Guatemala with 0.026%, Iraq with 0.044% and Trinidad and Tobago with 0.061%.
Data for more countries are available at R&D Expenditures (As % of GDP) indicator page.
| R&D Expenditures (As % of GDP) | Unit | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Austria | % | 3.08% | 3.05% | 3.12% | 3.06% | 3.09% | ||||||||||||||||
| Belgium | % | 2.37% | 2.43% | 2.52% | 2.67% | 2.86% | ||||||||||||||||
| China | % | 2.02% | 2.06% | 2.10% | 2.12% | 2.14% | ||||||||||||||||
| Denmark | % | 2.91% | 3.05% | 3.09% | 2.93% | 2.97% | ||||||||||||||||
| Finland | % | 3.15% | 2.87% | 2.72% | 2.73% | 2.76% | ||||||||||||||||
| France | % | 2.28% | 2.23% | 2.22% | 2.20% | 2.20% | ||||||||||||||||
| Germany | % | 2.88% | 2.93% | 2.94% | 3.05% | 3.11% | ||||||||||||||||
| Iceland | % | ... | ... | 1.94% | 2.18% | 2.11% | 2.08% | 2.00% | ||||||||||||||
| Israel | % | 4.16% | 4.26% | 4.51% | 4.66% | 4.80% | ||||||||||||||||
| Japan | % | 3.37% | 3.24% | 3.11% | 3.17% | 3.22% | ||||||||||||||||
| Netherlands | % | 2.17% | 2.15% | 2.15% | 2.18% | 2.14% | ||||||||||||||||
| South Korea | % | 4.08% | 3.98% | 3.99% | 4.29% | 4.52% | ||||||||||||||||
| Sweden | % | ... | ... | 3.10% | 3.22% | 3.25% | 3.36% | 3.32% | ||||||||||||||
| Switzerland | % | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 3.04% | ... | 3.03% | ... | ... | |||||
| USA | % | 2.72% | 2.78% | 2.85% | 2.90% | 3.00% |
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