Based on a comparison of 103 countries in 2017, Israel ranked the highest in R&D expenditures as a percentage of GDP with 4.25% followed by South Korea and Switzerland. On the other end of the scale was Syria with 0.012%, Madagascar with 0.015% and Honduras with 0.015%.
Data for more countries are available at R&D Expenditures (As % of GDP) indicator page.
| R&D Expenditures (As % of GDP) | Unit | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Austria | % | 2.73% | 2.67% | 2.91% | 2.95% | 3.07% | ||||||||||||||||
| Belgium | % | 2.05% | 2.16% | 2.27% | 2.33% | 2.39% | ||||||||||||||||
| China | % | 1.71% | 1.78% | 1.91% | 1.99% | 2.02% | ||||||||||||||||
| Denmark | % | 2.92% | 2.94% | 2.98% | 2.97% | 2.91% | ||||||||||||||||
| Finland | % | 3.73% | 3.64% | 3.42% | 3.29% | 3.17% | ||||||||||||||||
| France | % | 2.18% | 2.19% | 2.23% | 2.24% | 2.28% | ||||||||||||||||
| Germany | % | 2.71% | 2.80% | 2.87% | 2.82% | 2.87% | ||||||||||||||||
| Iceland | % | ... | ... | 2.48% | ... | 1.76% | 2.00% | |||||||||||||||
| Israel | % | 3.94% | 4.01% | 4.16% | 4.15% | 4.20% | ||||||||||||||||
| Japan | % | 3.14% | 3.24% | 3.21% | 3.31% | 3.40% | ||||||||||||||||
| Netherlands | % | 1.72% | 1.90% | 1.94% | 1.95% | 2.00% | ||||||||||||||||
| South Korea | % | 3.47% | 3.74% | 4.03% | 4.15% | 4.29% | ||||||||||||||||
| Sweden | % | ... | ... | ... | ... | 3.22% | 3.25% | 3.28% | 3.31% | 3.15% | ||||||||||||
| Switzerland | % | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 3.19% | ... | ... | ... | |||||
| USA | % | 2.74% | 2.77% | 2.69% | 2.72% | 2.73% |
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