Research and development expenditure in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Research and development expenditure was 1.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Research and development expenditure in Hong Kong, 1998–2024
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Hong Kong recorded 1.1% for research and development expenditure in 2024. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 52.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, research and development expenditure in Hong Kong peaked at 1.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1998.
Hong Kong ranks 36th of 116 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Research and development expenditure in Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 0.4% | — |
| 1999 | 0.5% | +6.9% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | +15.4% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | +8.4% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | +17.0% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | +6.1% |
| 2005 | 0.8% | +7.2% |
| 2006 | 0.8% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 0.8% | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 0.7% | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | +7.4% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 0.7% | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 0.7% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 0.7% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 0.8% | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 0.9% | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 0.9% | +7.2% |
| 2020 | 1.0% | +7.2% |
| 2021 | 1.0% | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | +10.6% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 1.1% | +1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
More science & technology data for Hong Kong
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Frequently asked questions
- What is research and development expenditure in Hong Kong?
- Research and development expenditure in Hong Kong was 1.1% in 2024, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
- What is the highest research and development expenditure recorded in Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 1.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest research and development expenditure recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1998.
- How does Hong Kong rank for research and development expenditure?
- Hong Kong ranks 36th out of 116 countries with data for 2024.
- Is research and development expenditure rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Hong Kong 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.