Germany vs World: Research and development expenditure

Germany
3.2%
in 2023
World
2.6%
in 2023
Germany rank
9th
World rank
6th

Research and development expenditure over time

  • Germany
  • World
0123199620092023

How they compare

Germany currently reports 3.2% against 2.6% in World, a difference of 0.6%.

That makes Germany's figure about 1.2 times World's.

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

Germany ranks 9th and World ranks 6th of 116 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Germany World Difference Ahead
1990s 2.2% 2.0% 0.2% Germany
2000s 2.5% 2.0% 0.5% Germany
2010s 2.9% 2.1% 0.8% Germany
2020s 3.1% 2.5% 0.6% Germany

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, Germany or World?
Germany, at 3.2% against 2.6% in World as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between Germany and World?
0.6%, with Germany ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and World?
28 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2023.
How do Germany and World rank globally for research and development expenditure?
Germany ranks 9th and World ranks 6th 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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Germany vs World: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/germany/world/

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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.