Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Democratic Republic of Congo

Democratic Republic of Congo: Research & development spending as a share of GDP was 0.4% in 2015. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2015)
0.4%
World rank
66th
of 116 countries
All-time high
0.4%
in 2015
All-time low
0.1%
in 2005
Years of data
7
2004–2015

Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Democratic Republic of Congo, 2004–2015

0.10.20.30.42004200920152004: 0.268 % of GDP2005: 0.058 % of GDP2006: 0.06 % of GDP2007: 0.136 % of GDP2008: 0.083 % of GDP2009: 0.078 % of GDP2015: 0.406 % of GDP

Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.

Analysis

The most recent figure for research & development spending as a share of gdp in Democratic Republic of Congo is 0.4%, measured in 2015. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 600.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, research & development spending as a share of gdp in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 0.4% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2005.

Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 66th of 116 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.1% 0.1% 0.3% 6
2010s 0.4% 0.4% 0.4% 1

Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo

  1. 64 Uganda 0.4% compare
  2. 65 Vietnam 0.4% compare
  3. 67 Chile 0.4% compare
  4. 68 Oman 0.4% compare
  5. 69 North Macedonia 0.4% compare

See the full ranking of 116 places →

More science & technology data for Democratic Republic of Congo

All data for Democratic Republic of Congo →

Frequently asked questions

What is research & development spending as a share of gdp in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Research & development spending as a share of gdp in Democratic Republic of Congo was 0.4% in 2015, according to UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The highest recorded value was 0.4% in 2015.
What is the lowest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2005.
How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 66th out of 116 countries with data for 2015.
Is research & development spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
Over the last ten years it is up 600.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Research & development spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Research & development spending as a share of GDP
Unit
% of GDP
Source
UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
116 places, 2,375 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

Includes basic research, applied research, and experimental development.