Based on a comparison of 108 countries in 2018, Israel ranked the highest in R&D expenditures as a percentage of GDP with 4.95% followed by South Korea and Switzerland. On the other end of the scale was Mauritania with 0.014%, Madagascar with 0.015% and Guatemala with 0.028%.
Average R&D expenditures as a percentage of GDP reached 2.27% in 2018 in the World according to World Bank. This is 6.04 % less than in the previous year and 9.39 % more than 10 years ago.
Historically, average R&D expenditures as a percentage of GDP reached an all time high of 2.27% in 2018 and an all time low of 1.94% in 2007. The average annual growth amounted to 0.380 % since 1996.
Data for more countries are available at R&D Expenditures (As % of GDP) indicator page.
| R&D Expenditures (As % of GDP) | Unit | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| Austria | % | 2.91% | 2.95% | 3.08% | 3.05% | 3.13% | ||||||||||||||||
| Belgium | % | 2.27% | 2.33% | 2.39% | 2.46% | 2.56% | ||||||||||||||||
| China | % | 1.91% | 2.00% | 2.03% | 2.07% | 2.12% | ||||||||||||||||
| Denmark | % | 2.98% | 2.97% | 2.91% | 3.05% | 3.10% | ||||||||||||||||
| Finland | % | 3.42% | 3.29% | 3.17% | 2.89% | 2.74% | ||||||||||||||||
| France | % | 2.23% | 2.24% | 2.28% | 2.27% | 2.22% | ||||||||||||||||
| Germany | % | 2.87% | 2.82% | 2.87% | 2.91% | 2.92% | ||||||||||||||||
| Israel | % | 4.16% | 4.09% | 4.17% | 4.26% | 4.51% | ||||||||||||||||
| Japan | % | 3.21% | 3.31% | 3.40% | 3.28% | 3.16% | ||||||||||||||||
| Netherlands | % | 1.92% | 1.93% | 1.98% | 1.98% | 2.00% | ||||||||||||||||
| Norway | % | ... | ... | 1.62% | 1.65% | 1.71% | 1.93% | 2.03% | ||||||||||||||
| South Korea | % | 4.03% | 4.15% | 4.29% | 4.22% | 4.23% | ||||||||||||||||
| Sweden | % | ... | ... | ... | 3.28% | 3.30% | 3.14% | 3.26% | 3.27% | |||||||||||||
| Switzerland | % | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 3.19% | ... | ... | 3.37% | ... | ... | ||||
| USA | % | 2.68% | 2.71% | 2.72% | 2.72% | 2.76% |
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