Mexico vs South Africa: Number of R&D researchers per million people
Mexico
438.25 per million people
in 2024
South Africa
444.16 per million people
in 2022
Mexico rank
77th
South Africa rank
76th
Number of R&D researchers per million people over time
- Mexico
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 444.16 per million people against 438.25 per million people in Mexico, a difference of 5.91 per million people.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 22 shared years of data; in 1997 it was Mexico ahead.
Mexico ranks 77th and South Africa ranks 76th of 103 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Mexico averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Mexico | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 229.69 per million people | 188.03 per million people | 41.67 per million people | Mexico |
| 2000s | 348.28 per million people | 354.44 per million people | 6.15 per million people | South Africa |
| 2010s | 309 per million people | 444.66 per million people | 135.66 per million people | South Africa |
| 2020s | 385.24 per million people | 452.98 per million people | 67.74 per million people | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher number of r&d researchers per million people, Mexico or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 444.16 per million people against 438.25 per million people in Mexico as of 2022.
- What is the difference in number of r&d researchers per million people between Mexico and South Africa?
- 5.91 per million people, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Mexico and South Africa?
- 22 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2022.
- How do Mexico and South Africa rank globally for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Mexico ranks 77th and South Africa ranks 76th of 103 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 Number of R&D researchers per million people. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
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About this data
Professionals engaged in conceiving or creating new knowledge, products, processes, methods, or systems.