Iceland vs United Kingdom: Research & development spending as a share of GDP
Iceland
2.6%
in 2023
United Kingdom
2.7%
in 2023
Iceland rank
13th
United Kingdom rank
12th
Research & development spending as a share of GDP over time
- Iceland
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 2.7% against 2.6% in Iceland, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 24 shared years of data; in 1997 it was Iceland ahead.
Iceland ranks 13th and United Kingdom ranks 12th of 116 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Iceland averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.0% | 1.6% | 0.4% | Iceland |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 1.6% | 1.1% | Iceland |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 2.2% | 0.1% | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 2.6% | 2.8% | 0.2% | 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, Iceland or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 2.7% against 2.6% in Iceland as of 2023.
- What is the difference in research & development spending as a share of gdp between Iceland and United Kingdom?
- 0.1%, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and United Kingdom?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2023.
- How do Iceland and United Kingdom rank globally for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
- Iceland ranks 13th 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.