Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants (per 1,000,000 population) by country
Countries reporting
106
Highest
9,472
South Korea
Lowest
1.45
Guatemala
Median
1,580
Years covered
25
2000–2024
Data points
2,316
What the numbers show
Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants (per 1,000,000 population) is currently reported for 106 countries. The highest value is 9,472 in South Korea; the lowest is 1.45 in Guatemala.
The median across all reporting countries is 1,580, and the mean is 2,548.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 6,552.
Over the past decade 82 countries rose and 21 fell. The largest increase was in Rwanda (up 767.8%), and the largest decrease in Guatemala (down 91.9%).
Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants (per): full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Korea | 9,472 | 2023 | up 46.7% | rising |
| 1 | Republic of Korea | 9,472 | 2023 | up 46.7% | rising |
| 3 | Sweden | 8,911 | 2023 | up 32.6% | rising |
| 4 | Denmark | 8,838 | 2023 | up 24.2% | rising |
| 5 | Singapore | 8,782 | 2022 | up 34.8% | rising |
| 6 | Finland | 8,315 | 2023 | up 15.1% | flat |
| 7 | Norway | 7,451 | 2023 | up 32.9% | rising |
| 8 | Austria | 6,634 | 2023 | up 38.7% | rising |
| 9 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 6,563 | 2023 | up 34.3% | rising |
| 10 | Switzerland | 6,108 | 2023 | up 35.8% | rising |
| 11 | Belgium | 5,990 | 2023 | up 43.9% | rising |
| 12 | Portugal | 5,983 | 2023 | up 65.9% | rising |
| 13 | Iceland | 5,953 | 2023 | up 3.7% | falling |
| 14 | Germany | 5,926 | 2023 | up 35.3% | rising |
| 15 | Ireland | 5,753 | 2023 | up 11.9% | rising |
| 16 | Canada | 5,624 | 2022 | up 20.9% | rising |
| 17 | Slovenia | 5,616 | 2023 | up 32.6% | rising |
| 18 | Japan | 5,609 | 2023 | up 8.6% | rising |
| 19 | New Zealand | 5,435 | 2023 | up 34.4% | rising |
| 20 | France | 5,369 | 2023 | up 29.9% | rising |
| 21 | Luxembourg | 5,359 | 2023 | up 15.0% | rising |
| 22 | Greece | 5,283 | 2023 | up 99.0% | rising |
| 23 | United States | 4,937 | 2022 | up 32.2% | rising |
| 24 | Australia and New Zealand | 4,864 | 2023 | up 0.8% | rising |
| 25 | Estonia | 4,800 | 2023 | up 43.8% | rising |
| 26 | Australia | 4,569 | 2010 | up 31.6% | rising |
| 27 | Hungary | 4,567 | 2023 | up 80.7% | rising |
| 28 | Czechia | 4,505 | 2023 | up 38.1% | rising |
| 29 | United Kingdom | 4,473 | 2017 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 29 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 4,473 | 2017 | up 8.5% | rising |
| 31 | Lithuania | 3,704 | 2023 | up 28.7% | rising |
| 32 | Poland | 3,675 | 2023 | up 96.7% | rising |
| 33 | Spain | 3,654 | 2023 | up 39.3% | rising |
| 34 | Slovakia | 3,507 | 2023 | up 28.8% | rising |
| 35 | Italy | 2,855 | 2023 | up 49.0% | rising |
| 36 | Serbia | 2,688 | 2024 | up 47.4% | rising |
| 37 | Turkey | 2,645 | 2023 | up 124.9% | volatile |
| 37 | Türkiye | 2,645 | 2023 | up 124.9% | volatile |
| 39 | Russia | 2,639 | 2024 | down 14.1% | falling |
| 39 | Russian Federation | 2,639 | 2024 | down 14.1% | falling |
| 41 | United Arab Emirates | 2,607 | 2021 | up 20.2% | rising |
| 42 | Croatia | 2,440 | 2023 | up 58.9% | rising |
| 43 | Bulgaria | 2,401 | 2023 | up 42.4% | rising |
| 44 | Malta | 2,355 | 2023 | up 25.2% | rising |
| 45 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 2,240 | 2021 | up 214.4% | volatile |
| 46 | Latvia | 2,191 | 2023 | up 22.3% | rising |
| 47 | Cuba | 2,171 | 2024 | up 5.7% | flat |
| 48 | China | 2,107 | 2023 | up 95.2% | rising |
| 49 | Georgia | 1,896 | 2024 | up 68.3% | rising |
| 50 | Cyprus | 1,686 | 2023 | up 63.7% | rising |
| 51 | Tunisia | 1,668 | 2024 | down 7.1% | rising |
| 52 | Azerbaijan | 1,663 | 2024 | down 3.1% | flat |
| 53 | Thailand | 1,592 | 2023 | up 105.7% | volatile |
| 54 | Belarus | 1,568 | 2024 | — | rising |
| 55 | Argentina | 1,313 | 2023 | up 10.0% | rising |
| 56 | Saudi Arabia | 1,235 | 2024 | — | rising |
| 57 | Malaysia | 1,218 | 2022 | down 31.2% | volatile |
| 58 | Egypt | 1,120 | 2024 | up 77.0% | rising |
| 59 | Morocco | 1,083 | 2016 | up 65.8% | rising |
| 60 | Romania | 1,082 | 2023 | up 17.1% | flat |
| 61 | Uruguay | 937.57 | 2024 | up 41.1% | rising |
| 62 | Brazil | 903.2 | 2014 | up 84.6% | rising |
| 63 | North Macedonia | 888.07 | 2024 | up 2.4% | rising |
| 64 | Vietnam | 836.11 | 2023 | up 22.1% | rising |
| 64 | Viet Nam | 836.11 | 2023 | up 22.1% | rising |
| 66 | Montenegro | 764.42 | 2019 | up 18.9% | rising |
| 67 | Kazakhstan | 758.01 | 2024 | down 3.0% | rising |
| 68 | Oman | 739.41 | 2024 | up 305.2% | volatile |
| 69 | Chile | 707.06 | 2022 | up 81.4% | rising |
| 70 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 705.16 | 2024 | up 148.5% | volatile |
| 71 | Mauritius | 688.53 | 2024 | up 289.1% | rising |
| 72 | Moldova | 649.94 | 2024 | down 29.8% | flat |
| 72 | Republic of Moldova | 649.94 | 2024 | down 29.8% | flat |
| 74 | Uzbekistan | 639.54 | 2024 | up 25.7% | falling |
| 75 | Ukraine | 586.08 | 2022 | down 51.6% | falling |
| 76 | State of Palestine | 584.35 | 2013 | up 670.1% | volatile |
| 77 | Senegal | 572.42 | 2015 | up 116.1% | rising |
| 78 | Costa Rica | 507.76 | 2023 | up 41.4% | rising |
| 79 | Trinidad and Tobago | 492.72 | 2022 | down 0.8% | flat |
| 80 | Pakistan | 473.72 | 2023 | up 228.0% | volatile |
| 81 | South Africa | 444.16 | 2022 | up 10.8% | rising |
| 82 | Mexico | 438.25 | 2024 | up 66.7% | rising |
| 83 | Ecuador | 400.26 | 2014 | up 722.5% | volatile |
| 84 | Indonesia | 395.34 | 2020 | up 347.6% | rising |
| 85 | Kenya | 384.02 | 2024 | up 69.2% | volatile |
| 86 | Philippines | 320.28 | 2020 | up 298.8% | volatile |
| 87 | India | 259.26 | 2020 | up 66.0% | rising |
| 88 | Panama | 250.47 | 2024 | up 170.0% | rising |
| 89 | Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | 179.96 | 2023 | down 50.6% | rising |
| 90 | Iraq | 164.28 | 2021 | down 61.8% | volatile |
| 91 | Kuwait | 144.75 | 2024 | down 77.3% | volatile |
| 92 | Paraguay | 138.79 | 2023 | down 24.8% | rising |
| 93 | Rwanda | 133.12 | 2023 | up 767.8% | volatile |
| 94 | Sri Lanka | 94.49 | 2022 | down 11.7% | falling |
| 95 | Colombia | 90.25 | 2017 | — | rising |
| 96 | Ethiopia | 89.04 | 2017 | up 351.4% | volatile |
| 97 | Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 63.06 | 2021 | down 61.3% | falling |
| 98 | Togo | 57.79 | 2024 | up 57.0% | rising |
| 99 | El Salvador | 55.47 | 2023 | down 14.4% | falling |
| 100 | Mozambique | 44.41 | 2015 | up 170.7% | rising |
| 101 | Madagascar | 32.94 | 2018 | down 27.0% | falling |
| 102 | Lesotho | 32.24 | 2023 | up 443.0% | volatile |
| 103 | Myanmar | 28.01 | 2023 | down 6.7% | rising |
| 104 | Niger | 26.94 | 2013 | up 238.6% | volatile |
| 105 | Mali | 26.04 | 2023 | down 11.4% | flat |
| 106 | Guatemala | 1.45 | 2023 | down 91.9% | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 5,874
- Northern America 5,006
- United States of America 4,937
- China, Macao Special Administrative Region 4,634
- Europe and Northern America 4,358
- Europe 4,025
- Oceania 3,423
- Eastern Asia 2,632
- Eastern and South-Eastern Asia 2,100
- World 1,486
- Western Asia 1,437
- Northern Africa and Western Asia 1,200
- Small Island Developing States (SIDS) 1,194
- Northern Africa 932.84
- South-eastern Asia 872.97
- Latin America and the Caribbean 668.04
- Central Asia 497.04
- Central and Southern Asia 352.95
- Southern Asia 347.27
- Landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) 178.97
- Sub-Saharan Africa 88.25
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 70.05