Research and development expenditure in Estonia

Estonia: Research and development expenditure was 1.8% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
1.8%
Change on year
up 4.4%
World rank
20th
of 116 countries
All-time high
2.3%
in 2011
All-time low
0.6%
in 1998
Years of data
26
1998–2023

Research and development expenditure in Estonia, 1998–2023

0.511.522.51998201020231998: 0.565 % of GDP1999: 0.677 % of GDP2000: 0.6 % of GDP2001: 0.699 % of GDP2002: 0.712 % of GDP2003: 0.764 % of GDP2004: 0.846 % of GDP2005: 0.917 % of GDP2006: 1.1 % of GDP2007: 1.1 % of GDP2008: 1.3 % of GDP2009: 1.4 % of GDP2010: 1.6 % of GDP2011: 2.3 % of GDP2012: 2.1 % of GDP2013: 1.7 % of GDP2014: 1.4 % of GDP2015: 1.4 % of GDP2016: 1.2 % of GDP2017: 1.3 % of GDP2018: 1.4 % of GDP2019: 1.6 % of GDP2020: 1.7 % of GDP2021: 1.8 % of GDP2022: 1.8 % of GDP2023: 1.8 % of GDP

Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

In 2023, research and development expenditure in Estonia stood at 1.8%.

That represents a change of up 4.4% on the previous year and up 8.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, research and development expenditure in Estonia peaked at 2.3% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1998.

That places Estonia 20th out of 116 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.

Research and development expenditure in Estonia, year by year

Annual values for Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) in Estonia, 1998 to 2023.
Year % of GDP Change
1998 0.6%
1999 0.7% +19.8%
2000 0.6% -11.4%
2001 0.7% +16.5%
2002 0.7% +1.9%
2003 0.8% +7.4%
2004 0.8% +10.6%
2005 0.9% +8.4%
2006 1.1% +21.3%
2007 1.1% -4.8%
2008 1.3% +18.2%
2009 1.4% +11.6%
2010 1.6% +13.0%
2011 2.3% +45.4%
2012 2.1% -8.3%
2013 1.7% -19.2%
2014 1.4% -17.2%
2015 1.4% +2.4%
2016 1.2% -15.5%
2017 1.3% +2.7%
2018 1.4% +10.5%
2019 1.6% +15.0%
2020 1.7% +8.5%
2021 1.8% +1.5%
2022 1.8% +0.5%
2023 1.8% +4.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 0.6% 0.6% 0.7% 2
2000s 0.9% 0.6% 1.4% 10
2010s 1.6% 1.2% 2.3% 10
2020s 1.8% 1.7% 1.8% 4

Countries ranked near Estonia

  1. 17 Slovenia 2.1% compare
  2. 18 Australia 1.9% compare
  3. 19 Norway 1.9% compare
  4. 21 Czechia 1.8% compare
  5. 22 Singapore 1.8% compare
  6. 23 Canada 1.8% compare

See the full ranking of 147 places →

More science & technology data for Estonia

All data for Estonia →

Frequently asked questions

What is research and development expenditure in Estonia?
Research and development expenditure in Estonia was 1.8% in 2023, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest research and development expenditure recorded in Estonia?
The highest recorded value was 2.3% in 2011.
What is the lowest research and development expenditure recorded in Estonia?
The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1998.
How does Estonia rank for research and development expenditure?
Estonia ranks 20th out of 116 countries with data for 2023.
Is research and development expenditure rising or falling in Estonia?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Estonia 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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Research and development expenditure in Estonia. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/estonia/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
147 places, 3,092 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

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.