Ireland vs Portugal: Research and development expenditure

Ireland
1.6%
in 2023
Portugal
1.7%
in 2023
Ireland rank
25th
Portugal rank
24th

Research and development expenditure over time

  • Ireland
  • Portugal
0.50.7511.21.51.8199620092023

How they compare

Portugal currently reports 1.7% against 1.6% in Ireland, a difference of 0.1%.

That makes Portugal's figure about 1.1 times Ireland's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 28 shared years of data; in 1996 it was Ireland ahead.

Ireland ranks 25th and Portugal ranks 24th of 116 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 2 and Portugal in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Ireland Portugal Difference Ahead
1990s 1.2% 0.6% 0.6% Ireland
2000s 1.2% 0.9% 0.3% Ireland
2010s 1.3% 1.4% 0.0% Portugal
2020s 1.3% 1.7% 0.3% Portugal

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, Ireland or Portugal?
Portugal, at 1.7% against 1.6% in Ireland as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between Ireland and Portugal?
0.1%, with Portugal ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and Portugal?
28 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2023.
How do Ireland and Portugal rank globally for research and development expenditure?
Ireland ranks 25th and Portugal 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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Ireland vs Portugal: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/ireland/portugal/

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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.