Researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)
Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026): Researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex was 2.57 million Head count in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.57 million Head count
Change on year
up 6.7%
Rank
2nd
of 3 regions
All-time high
2.57 million Head count
in 2023
All-time low
1.24 million Head count
in 2003
Years of data
11
2003–2023
Researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026), 2003–2023
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Head count.
Analysis
Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) recorded 2.57 million Head count for researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex in 2023. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
That represents a change of up 6.7% on the previous year and up 37.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) peaked at 2.57 million Head count in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.24 million Head count, in 2003.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026), year by year
| Year | Head count | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 1.24 million Head count | — |
| 2005 | 1.33 million Head count | +7.3% |
| 2007 | 1.47 million Head count | +10.5% |
| 2009 | 1.61 million Head count | +9.2% |
| 2011 | 1.75 million Head count | +8.9% |
| 2013 | 1.87 million Head count | +6.4% |
| 2015 | 1.97 million Head count | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 2.11 million Head count | +7.0% |
| 2019 | 2.28 million Head count | +8.5% |
| 2021 | 2.41 million Head count | +5.3% |
| 2023 | 2.57 million Head count | +6.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.42 million Head count | 1.24 million Head count | 1.61 million Head count | 4 |
| 2010s | 2.00 million Head count | 1.75 million Head count | 2.28 million Head count | 5 |
| 2020s | 2.49 million Head count | 2.41 million Head count | 2.57 million Head count | 2 |
Countries ranked near Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)
- 1 Japan 989,223 Head count compare
- 2 Germany 742,803 Head count compare
- 3 Korea 603,566 Head count compare
- 3 South Korea 603,566 Head count compare
- 5 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 535,477 Head count compare
- 5 United Kingdom 535,477 Head count compare
More science & technology data for Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)
- Human resources in science and technology (HRST) by category and NUTS 104,096 Thousand persons (2025)
- Human resources in science and technology (HRST) by category, NUTS 1 104,096 Thousand persons (2025)
- Human resources in science and technology (HRST) by category, NUTS 1 104,096 Thousand persons (2025)
- R&D personnel and researchers by sector of performance, sex and NUTS 2.81 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) (2024)
- GERD by sector of performance and type of R&D 349,415 Million euro (2024)
- GERD by sector of performance and fields of R&D 349,415 Million euro (2024)
- Electricity production capacities for combustible fuels by technology 80,601 Megawatt (2024)
- R&D personnel by sector of performance, professional position and sex 2.81 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) (2024)
- R&D personnel and researchers by sector of performance, fields of R&D 2.81 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) (2024)
- Human resources in science and technology (HRST) by category, sex and 104,096 Thousand persons (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)?
- Researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) was 2.57 million Head count in 2023, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex recorded in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)?
- The highest recorded value was 2.57 million Head count in 2023.
- What is the lowest researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex recorded in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.24 million Head count in 2003.
- How does Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) rank for researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex?
- Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) ranks 2nd out of 3 regions with data for 2023.
- Is researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex rising or falling in Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 37.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Euro area – 21 countries (from 2026) data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Researchers by sector of performance, age class and sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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