Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) in Iran
Iran: Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) was 0.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Research and development expenditure in Iran, 2001–2021
Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Iran recorded 0.7% for research and development expenditure in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.8% on the previous year and up 174.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, research and development expenditure in Iran peaked at 0.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2013.
That places Iran 49th out of 116 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Research and development expenditure (% of GDP) in Iran, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 0.5% | — |
| 2002 | 0.5% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 0.6% | +20.0% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | -15.2% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | +23.4% |
| 2006 | 0.6% | -10.2% |
| 2008 | 0.6% | +15.6% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | -57.8% |
| 2010 | 0.3% | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | +11.3% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -19.8% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | +66.9% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | +92.9% |
| 2019 | 0.8% | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | -7.8% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 0.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3%, 2.5× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Iran's 0.7% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.6%, 1.1× the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 8 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 6 |
| 2020s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More science & technology data for Iran
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 174.07 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.74 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 159.39 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 92.86 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.79 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 343 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 343 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is research and development expenditure in Iran?
- Research and development expenditure in Iran was 0.7% 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 0.8% in 2019.
- What is the lowest research and development expenditure recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2013.
- How does Iran rank for research and development expenditure?
- Iran ranks 49th out of 116 countries with data for 2021.
- Is research and development expenditure rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 174.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iran 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.