China vs United Kingdom: Research & development spending as a share of GDP
China
2.6%
in 2023
United Kingdom
2.7%
in 2023
China rank
14th
United Kingdom rank
12th
Research & development spending as a share of GDP over time
- China
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 2.7% against 2.6% in China, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 28 shared years of data; in 1996 it was United Kingdom ahead.
China ranks 14th and United Kingdom ranks 12th of 116 countries.
United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.6% | 1.6% | 0.9% | United Kingdom |
| 2000s | 1.2% | 1.6% | 0.4% | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 2.1% | 0.1% | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 2.5% | 2.8% | 0.4% | United Kingdom |
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 United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 2.7% against 2.6% in China as of 2023.
- What is the difference in research & development spending as a share of gdp between China and United Kingdom?
- 0.1%, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United Kingdom?
- 28 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2023.
- How do China and United Kingdom rank globally for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
- China ranks 14th and United Kingdom ranks 12th 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.