Based on a comparison of 101 countries in 2019, Israel ranked the highest in R&D expenditures as a percentage of GDP with 4.94% followed by South Korea and Switzerland. On the other end of the scale was Mauritania with 0.011%, Madagascar with 0.013% and Guatemala with 0.029%.
Data for more countries are available at R&D Expenditures (As % of GDP) indicator page.
| R&D Expenditures (As % of GDP) | Unit | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| Austria | % | 2.95% | 3.08% | 3.05% | 3.12% | 3.05% | ||||||||||||||||
| Belgium | % | 2.33% | 2.37% | 2.43% | 2.52% | 2.66% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| China | % | 2.00% | 2.02% | 2.06% | 2.10% | 2.12% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Denmark | % | 2.97% | 2.91% | 3.05% | 3.09% | 3.05% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Finland | % | 3.27% | 3.15% | 2.87% | 2.72% | 2.73% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| France | % | 2.24% | 2.28% | 2.27% | 2.22% | 2.20% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Germany | % | 2.84% | 2.88% | 2.93% | 2.94% | 3.07% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Israel | % | 4.10% | 4.17% | 4.27% | 4.51% | 4.82% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Japan | % | 3.31% | 3.40% | 3.28% | 3.16% | 3.21% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Netherlands | % | 1.93% | 1.98% | 1.98% | 2.00% | 1.98% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Norway | % | ... | 1.65% | 1.72% | 1.94% | 2.04% | 2.10% | ... | ||||||||||||||
| South Korea | % | 3.95% | 4.08% | 3.98% | 3.99% | 4.29% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Sweden | % | ... | ... | 3.26% | 3.10% | 3.22% | 3.25% | 3.36% | ... | |||||||||||||
| Switzerland | % | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 3.37% | ... | 3.37% | ... | ... | ||||
| USA | % | 2.71% | 2.72% | 2.72% | 2.76% | 2.82% | ... |
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