China vs Iceland: Research & development spending as a share of GDP
China
2.6%
in 2023
Iceland
2.6%
in 2023
China rank
14th
Iceland rank
13th
Research & development spending as a share of GDP over time
- China
- Iceland
How they compare
Iceland currently reports 2.6% against 2.6% in China, a difference of 0.0%.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 24 shared years of data; in 1997 it was Iceland ahead.
China ranks 14th and Iceland ranks 13th of 116 countries.
Iceland has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | Iceland | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.7% | 2.0% | 1.3% | Iceland |
| 2000s | 1.2% | 2.7% | 1.5% | Iceland |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 2.1% | 0.1% | Iceland |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 2.6% | 0.2% | Iceland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher research & development spending as a share of gdp, China or Iceland?
- Iceland, at 2.6% against 2.6% in China as of 2023.
- What is the difference in research & development spending as a share of gdp between China and Iceland?
- 0.0%, with Iceland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and Iceland?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2023.
- How do China and Iceland rank globally for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
- China ranks 14th and Iceland ranks 13th of 116 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Research & development spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Includes basic research, applied research, and experimental development.