Singapore—R&D Spending (% of GDP)
Singapore's R&D spending (% of GDP) was 2.16% in 2020, ranking #23 out of 114 countries. This represents a +14.4% change from 2019. Over the past 21 years, the highest recorded value was 2.60% (2008) and the lowest was 1.81% (2018). Data sourced from the World Bank World Development Indicators.
Historical Data
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2.16% | +14.4% |
| 2019 | 1.88% | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 1.81% | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 1.90% | -8.4% |
| 2016 | 2.07% | -4.7% |
| 2015 | 2.17% | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 2.08% | +8.4% |
| 2013 | 1.92% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 1.92% | -7.3% |
| 2011 | 2.07% | +7.3% |
| 2010 | 1.93% | -9.3% |
| 2009 | 2.13% | -18.1% |
| 2008 | 2.60% | +11.9% |
| 2007 | 2.32% | +9.6% |
| 2006 | 2.12% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 2.15% | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 2.08% | +4.1% |
| 2003 | 2.00% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 2.03% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 2.01% | +10.6% |
| 2000 | 1.82% |
Top Countries — R&D Spending (% of GDP)
| # | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Israel | 6.35% | 2023 |
| 2 | Liechtenstein | 6.01% | 2023 |
| 3 | Korea, Rep. | 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.