China vs Iceland: Research and development expenditure

China
2.6%
in 2023
Iceland
2.6%
in 2023
China rank
14th
Iceland rank
13th

Research and development expenditure over time

  • China
  • Iceland
0.511.522.53199620092023

How they compare

Iceland currently reports 2.6% against 2.6% in China, a difference of 0.0%.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 24 shared years of data; in 1997 it was Iceland ahead.

China ranks 14th and Iceland ranks 13th of 116 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade China Iceland Difference Ahead
1990s 0.7% 2.0% 1.3% Iceland
2000s 1.2% 2.7% 1.5% Iceland
2010s 2.0% 2.1% 0.1% Iceland
2020s 2.5% 2.6% 0.2% Iceland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, China or Iceland?
Iceland, at 2.6% against 2.6% in China as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between China and Iceland?
0.0%, with Iceland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Iceland?
24 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2023.
How do China and Iceland rank globally for research and development expenditure?
China ranks 14th and Iceland ranks 13th 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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China vs Iceland: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/china/iceland/

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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.