Israel vs Sweden: Research & development spending as a share of GDP

Israel
6.3%
in 2023
Sweden
3.6%
in 2023
Israel rank
1st
Sweden rank
3rd

Research & development spending as a share of GDP over time

  • Israel
  • Sweden
0246199620092023

How they compare

Israel currently reports 6.3% against 3.6% in Sweden, a difference of 2.7%.

That makes Israel's figure about 1.8 times Sweden's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 24 shared years of data; in 1997 it was Sweden ahead.

Israel ranks 1st and Sweden ranks 3rd of 116 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, Israel averaged higher in 3 and Sweden in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Israel Sweden Difference Ahead
1990s 3.0% 3.3% 0.4% Sweden
2000s 4.0% 3.5% 0.5% Israel
2010s 4.4% 3.3% 1.1% Israel
2020s 6.0% 3.5% 2.5% Israel

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research & development spending as a share of gdp, Israel or Sweden?
Israel, at 6.3% against 3.6% in Sweden as of 2023.
What is the difference in research & development spending as a share of gdp between Israel and Sweden?
2.7%, with Israel ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Israel and Sweden?
24 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2023.
How do Israel and Sweden rank globally for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
Israel ranks 1st and Sweden ranks 3rd 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

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.