Australia—R&D Spending (% of GDP)
Australia's R&D spending (% of GDP) was 1.86% in 2021, ranking #19 out of 114 countries. Over the past 12 years, the highest recorded value was 2.40% (2008) and the lowest was 1.57% (2000). Data sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators.
Historical Data
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1.86% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 1.83% | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 1.88% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 1.92% | -11.8% |
| 2013 | 2.18% | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 2.23% | -5.7% |
| 2010 | 2.37% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 2.40% | +10.1% |
| 2006 | 2.18% | +17.9% |
| 2004 | 1.85% | +5.8% |
| 2002 | 1.75% | +11.1% |
| 2000 | 1.57% |
Top Countries — R&D Spending (% of GDP)
| # | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Israel | 6.35% | 2023 |
| 2 | Liechtenstein | 6.01% | 2023 |
| 3 | South Korea | 4.94% | 2023 |
| 4 | Sweden | 3.60% | 2023 |
| 5 | United States | 3.45% | 2023 |
| 6 | Japan | 3.44% | 2023 |
| 7 | Belgium | 3.27% | 2023 |
| 8 | Austria | 3.26% | 2023 |
| 9 | Switzerland | 3.22% | 2023 |
| 10 | Germany | 3.15% | 2023 |
About This Indicator
Definition
Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D), expressed as a percent of GDP. They include both capital and current expenditures in the four main sectors: Business enterprise, Government, Higher education and Private non-profit. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.
Methodology
Data compiled by Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources/bulk, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), date accessed: 2025-03-26, date published: 2025-02.
Unit
% of GDP