Singapore vs South Asia: Research and development expenditure

Singapore
1.8%
in 2022
South Asia
0.6%
in 2020
Singapore rank
22nd
South Asia rank
26th

Research and development expenditure over time

  • Singapore
  • South Asia
0.511.522.5199620092022

How they compare

Singapore currently reports 1.8% against 0.6% in South Asia, a difference of 1.2%.

That makes Singapore's figure about 2.9 times South Asia's.

Across all 25 years both countries report, Singapore has been ahead every year.

Singapore ranks 22nd and South Asia ranks 26th of 116 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Singapore South Asia Difference Ahead
1990s 1.6% 0.7% 0.9% Singapore
2000s 2.1% 0.8% 1.4% Singapore
2010s 2.0% 0.7% 1.3% Singapore
2020s 2.2% 0.6% 1.5% Singapore

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, Singapore or South Asia?
Singapore, at 1.8% against 0.6% in South Asia as of 2022.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between Singapore and South Asia?
1.2%, with Singapore ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Singapore and South Asia?
25 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2020.
How do Singapore and South Asia rank globally for research and development expenditure?
Singapore ranks 22nd and South Asia ranks 26th 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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Singapore vs South Asia: 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/singapore/south-asia/

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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.