European Union vs Finland: Research and development expenditure (% of GDP)

European Union
2.3%
in 2023
Finland
3.1%
in 2023
European Union rank
10th
Finland rank
10th

Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) over time

  • European Union
  • Finland
01234199620092023

How they compare

Finland currently reports 3.1% against 2.3% in European Union, a difference of 0.8%.

That makes Finland's figure about 1.4 times European Union's.

Across all 28 years both countries report, Finland has been ahead every year.

European Union ranks 10th and Finland ranks 10th of 31 groups.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade European Union Finland Difference Ahead
1990s 1.7% 2.7% 1.0% Finland
2000s 1.8% 3.4% 1.5% Finland
2010s 2.1% 3.1% 1.0% Finland
2020s 2.3% 3.0% 0.8% Finland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, European Union or Finland?
Finland, at 3.1% against 2.3% in European Union as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between European Union and Finland?
0.8%, with Finland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for European Union and Finland?
28 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2023.
How do European Union and Finland rank globally for research and development expenditure?
European Union ranks 10th and Finland ranks 10th of 31 groups.
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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European Union vs Finland: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/european-union/finland/

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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.