Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) in Australia
Australia: Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) was 1.9% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Research and development expenditure in Australia, 1996–2021
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Australia recorded 1.9% for research and development expenditure in 2021.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and down 16.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, research and development expenditure in Australia peaked at 2.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 1998.
Australia ranks 18th of 116 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) in Australia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1.7% | — |
| 1998 | 1.5% | -8.9% |
| 2000 | 1.6% | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 1.7% | +11.1% |
| 2004 | 1.8% | +5.8% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | +17.9% |
| 2008 | 2.4% | +10.1% |
| 2010 | 2.4% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 2.2% | -5.7% |
| 2013 | 2.2% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 1.9% | -11.8% |
| 2017 | 1.9% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 1.9% | +1.6% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 1.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.5%, 1.2× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Australia's 1.9% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.0%, 1.8× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 1.9% | 1.6% | 2.4% | 5 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 1.8% | 2.4% | 6 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More science & technology data for Australia
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Frequently asked questions
- What is research and development expenditure in Australia?
- Research and development expenditure in Australia was 1.9% in 2021, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest research and development expenditure recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.4% in 2008.
- What is the lowest research and development expenditure recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 1998.
- How does Australia rank for research and development expenditure?
- Australia ranks 18th out of 116 countries with data for 2021.
- Is research and development expenditure rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Research and development expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D), expressed as a percent of GDP. They include both capital and current expenditures in the four main sectors: Business enterprise, Government, Higher education and Private non-profit. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.