New Zealand vs Spain: Research & development spending as a share of GDP

New Zealand
1.5%
in 2023
Spain
1.5%
in 2023
New Zealand rank
27th
Spain rank
30th

Research & development spending as a share of GDP over time

  • New Zealand
  • Spain
00.511.5199620092023

How they compare

New Zealand currently reports 1.5% against 1.5% in Spain, a difference of 0.0%.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 14 shared years of data; in 1997 it was New Zealand ahead.

New Zealand ranks 27th and Spain ranks 30th of 116 countries.

New Zealand has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade New Zealand Spain Difference Ahead
1990s 1.0% 0.8% 0.2% New Zealand
2000s 1.2% 1.1% 0.0% New Zealand
2010s 1.3% 1.3% 0.0% New Zealand
2020s 1.5% 1.4% 0.1% New Zealand

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research & development spending as a share of gdp, New Zealand or Spain?
New Zealand, at 1.5% against 1.5% in Spain as of 2023.
What is the difference in research & development spending as a share of gdp between New Zealand and Spain?
0.0%, with New Zealand ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and Spain?
14 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2023.
How do New Zealand and Spain rank globally for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
New Zealand ranks 27th and Spain ranks 30th 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.