France vs Netherlands: Research & development spending as a share of GDP

France
2.2%
in 2023
Netherlands
2.3%
in 2023
France rank
16th
Netherlands rank
15th

Research & development spending as a share of GDP over time

  • France
  • Netherlands
00.511.522.5199620092023

How they compare

Netherlands currently reports 2.3% against 2.2% in France, a difference of 0.1%.

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

France ranks 16th and Netherlands ranks 15th of 116 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, France averaged higher in 3 and Netherlands in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade France Netherlands Difference Ahead
1990s 2.2% 1.8% 0.3% France
2000s 2.1% 1.7% 0.4% France
2010s 2.2% 2.0% 0.2% France
2020s 2.2% 2.2% 0.0% Netherlands

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research & development spending as a share of gdp, France or Netherlands?
Netherlands, at 2.3% against 2.2% in France as of 2023.
What is the difference in research & development spending as a share of gdp between France and Netherlands?
0.1%, with Netherlands ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for France and Netherlands?
28 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2023.
How do France and Netherlands rank globally for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
France ranks 16th and Netherlands ranks 15th 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.

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France vs Netherlands: Research & development spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-spending-gdp/france/netherlands/

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About this data

Indicator
Research & development spending as a share of GDP
Unit
% of GDP
Source
UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
116 places, 2,375 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

Includes basic research, applied research, and experimental development.