Belgium vs OECD members: Research and development expenditure

Belgium
3.3%
in 2023
OECD members
2.9%
in 2023
Belgium rank
6th
OECD members rank
3rd

Research and development expenditure over time

  • Belgium
  • OECD members
0123199620092023

How they compare

Belgium currently reports 3.3% against 2.9% in OECD members, a difference of 0.4%.

That makes Belgium's figure about 1.1 times OECD members's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 28 shared years of data; in 1996 it was OECD members ahead.

Belgium ranks 6th and OECD members ranks 3rd of 116 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, Belgium averaged higher in 2 and OECD members in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Belgium OECD members Difference Ahead
1990s 1.8% 2.1% 0.3% OECD members
2000s 1.9% 2.2% 0.3% OECD members
2010s 2.5% 2.5% 0.0% Belgium
2020s 3.3% 2.9% 0.4% Belgium

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, Belgium or OECD members?
Belgium, at 3.3% against 2.9% in OECD members as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between Belgium and OECD members?
0.4%, with Belgium ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Belgium and OECD members?
28 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2023.
How do Belgium and OECD members rank globally for research and development expenditure?
Belgium ranks 6th and OECD members ranks 3rd of 116 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Research and development expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Belgium vs OECD members: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/belgium/oecd-members/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
147 places, 3,092 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

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.