Canada vs South Asia: Research and development expenditure

Canada
1.8%
in 2024
South Asia
0.6%
in 2020
Canada rank
23rd
South Asia rank
24th

Research and development expenditure over time

  • Canada
  • South Asia
0.511.52199620102024

How they compare

Canada currently reports 1.8% against 0.6% in South Asia, a difference of 1.2%.

That makes Canada's figure about 2.8 times South Asia's.

Across all 25 years both countries report, Canada has been ahead every year.

Canada ranks 23rd and South Asia ranks 24th of 116 countries.

Canada has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Canada South Asia Difference Ahead
1990s 1.7% 0.7% 1.0% Canada
2000s 1.9% 0.8% 1.2% Canada
2010s 1.7% 0.7% 1.1% Canada
2020s 1.9% 0.6% 1.3% Canada

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, Canada or South Asia?
Canada, at 1.8% against 0.6% in South Asia as of 2024.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between Canada and South Asia?
1.2%, with Canada ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Canada and South Asia?
25 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2020.
How do Canada and South Asia rank globally for research and development expenditure?
Canada ranks 23rd and South Asia ranks 24th 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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Canada vs South Asia: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/canada/south-asia/

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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.