China vs Netherlands: Research and development expenditure

China
2.6%
in 2023
Netherlands
2.3%
in 2023
China rank
14th
Netherlands rank
15th

Research and development expenditure over time

  • China
  • Netherlands
0.511.522.5199620092023

How they compare

China currently reports 2.6% against 2.3% in Netherlands, a difference of 0.3%.

That makes China's figure about 1.1 times Netherlands's.

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

China ranks 14th and Netherlands ranks 15th of 116 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, China averaged higher in 1 and Netherlands in 3.

Head to head by decade

Decade China Netherlands Difference Ahead
1990s 0.6% 1.8% 1.2% Netherlands
2000s 1.2% 1.7% 0.5% Netherlands
2010s 2.0% 2.0% 0.1% Netherlands
2020s 2.5% 2.2% 0.2% China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, China or Netherlands?
China, at 2.6% against 2.3% in Netherlands as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between China and Netherlands?
0.3%, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Netherlands?
28 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2023.
How do China and Netherlands rank globally for research and development expenditure?
China ranks 14th and Netherlands ranks 15th 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 Netherlands: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/china/netherlands/

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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.