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Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Finland

Finland: Research & development spending as a share of GDP was 3.1% in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)
3.1%
Change on year
up 3.7%
World rank
10th
of 116 countries
All-time high
3.7%
in 2009
All-time low
2.5%
in 1996
Years of data
28
1996–2023

Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Finland, 1996–2023

012341996200920231996: 2.5 % of GDP1997: 2.6 % of GDP1998: 2.8 % of GDP1999: 3.1 % of GDP2000: 3.2 % of GDP2001: 3.2 % of GDP2002: 3.3 % of GDP2003: 3.3 % of GDP2004: 3.3 % of GDP2005: 3.3 % of GDP2006: 3.3 % of GDP2007: 3.3 % of GDP2008: 3.5 % of GDP2009: 3.7 % of GDP2010: 3.7 % of GDP2011: 3.6 % of GDP2012: 3.4 % of GDP2013: 3.3 % of GDP2014: 3.2 % of GDP2015: 2.9 % of GDP2016: 2.7 % of GDP2017: 2.7 % of GDP2018: 2.8 % of GDP2019: 2.8 % of GDP2020: 2.9 % of GDP2021: 3 % of GDP2022: 3 % of GDP2023: 3.1 % 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

Finland recorded 3.1% for research & development spending as a share of gdp in 2023.

That represents a change of up 3.7% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, research & development spending as a share of gdp in Finland peaked at 3.7% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 1996.

That places Finland 10th out of 116 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2.7% 2.5% 3.1% 4
2000s 3.4% 3.2% 3.7% 10
2010s 3.1% 2.7% 3.7% 10
2020s 3.0% 2.9% 3.1% 4

Countries ranked near Finland

  1. 7 Austria 3.3% compare
  2. 8 Switzerland 3.2% compare
  3. 9 Germany 3.2% compare
  4. 11 Denmark 3.0% compare
  5. 12 United Kingdom 2.7% compare
  6. 13 Iceland 2.6% compare

See the full ranking of 116 places →

More science & technology data for Finland

All data for Finland →

Frequently asked questions

What is research & development spending as a share of gdp in Finland?
Research & development spending as a share of gdp in Finland was 3.1% in 2023, 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 Finland?
The highest recorded value was 3.7% in 2009.
What is the lowest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in Finland?
The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 1996.
How does Finland rank for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
Finland ranks 10th out of 116 countries with data for 2023.
Is research & development spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Finland?
Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Finland 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 28 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

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.