Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Malta
Malta: Research & development spending as a share of GDP was 0.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Research & development spending as a share of GDP in Malta, 2002–2023
Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2023, research & development spending as a share of gdp in Malta stood at 0.6%.
The figure is up 12.8% on the previous year and down 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, research & development spending as a share of gdp in Malta peaked at 0.8% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2003.
That places Malta 53rd out of 116 regions with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.6% | 8 |
| 2010s | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More science & technology data for Malta
- Scientific and technical journal articles 497.77 (2023)
- Mobile phone subscriptions 766,620 (2024)
- Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people 142.07 per 100 people (2024)
- Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people 142.07 per 100 people (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 5 (2021)
- Share of the population using the Internet 93.9% (2024)
- Patent applications, residents 5 (2021)
- Research and development expenditure 0.6% (2023)
- Human resources in science and technology (HRST) by category and NUTS 184.8 Thousand persons (2025)
- Number of people using the Internet 458,677 users (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is research & development spending as a share of gdp in Malta?
- Research & development spending as a share of gdp in Malta was 0.6% 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 0.8% in 2012.
- What is the lowest research & development spending as a share of gdp recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2003.
- How does Malta rank for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
- Malta ranks 53rd out of 116 regions with data for 2023.
- Is research & development spending as a share of gdp rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malta 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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CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Includes basic research, applied research, and experimental development.