Researchers in R&D in European Union

European Union: Researchers in R&D was 4,741 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
4,741 per million people
Change on year
up 2.5%
Rank
2nd
of 2 groups
All-time high
4,741 per million people
in 2023
All-time low
1,960 per million people
in 1996
Years of data
28
1996–2023

Researchers in R&D in European Union, 1996–2023

01.0k2.0k3.0k4.0k5.0k1996200920231996: 2.0k per million people1997: 2.0k per million people1998: 2.0k per million people1999: 2.1k per million people2000: 2.1k per million people2001: 2.2k per million people2002: 2.3k per million people2003: 2.3k per million people2004: 2.5k per million people2005: 2.6k per million people2006: 2.7k per million people2007: 2.8k per million people2008: 2.9k per million people2009: 3.0k per million people2010: 3.1k per million people2011: 3.1k per million people2012: 3.2k per million people2013: 3.3k per million people2014: 3.4k per million people2015: 3.5k per million people2016: 3.6k per million people2017: 3.8k per million people2018: 4.0k per million people2019: 4.2k per million people2020: 4.2k per million people2021: 4.4k per million people2022: 4.6k per million people2023: 4.7k per million people

Source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in per million people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for researchers in r&d in European Union is 4,741 per million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.

The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 41.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, researchers in r&d in European Union peaked at 4,741 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1,960 per million people, in 1996.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

Researchers in R&D in European Union, year by year

Annual values for Researchers in R&D (per million people) in European Union, 1996 to 2023.
Year per million people Change
1996 1,960 per million people
1997 1,985 per million people +1.3%
1998 1,972 per million people -0.7%
1999 2,090 per million people +6.0%
2000 2,117 per million people +1.3%
2001 2,234 per million people +5.5%
2002 2,264 per million people +1.3%
2003 2,338 per million people +3.2%
2004 2,527 per million people +8.1%
2005 2,601 per million people +2.9%
2006 2,690 per million people +3.4%
2007 2,771 per million people +3.0%
2008 2,932 per million people +5.8%
2009 2,986 per million people +1.8%
2010 3,088 per million people +3.4%
2011 3,124 per million people +1.2%
2012 3,246 per million people +3.9%
2013 3,344 per million people +3.0%
2014 3,404 per million people +1.8%
2015 3,545 per million people +4.1%
2016 3,645 per million people +2.8%
2017 3,847 per million people +5.6%
2018 4,011 per million people +4.3%
2019 4,156 per million people +3.6%
2020 4,225 per million people +1.7%
2021 4,404 per million people +4.2%
2022 4,624 per million people +5.0%
2023 4,741 per million people +2.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2,002 per million people 1,960 per million people 2,090 per million people 4
2000s 2,546 per million people 2,117 per million people 2,986 per million people 10
2010s 3,541 per million people 3,088 per million people 4,156 per million people 10
2020s 4,499 per million people 4,225 per million people 4,741 per million people 4

Countries ranked near European Union

  1. 1 South Korea 9,472 per million people compare
  2. 2 Sweden 8,911 per million people compare
  3. 3 Denmark 8,838 per million people compare
  4. 4 Singapore 8,782 per million people compare
  5. 5 Finland 8,315 per million people compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More science & technology data for European Union

All data for European Union →

Frequently asked questions

What is researchers in r&d in European Union?
Researchers in r&d in European Union was 4,741 per million people in 2023, according to Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest researchers in r&d recorded in European Union?
The highest recorded value was 4,741 per million people in 2023.
What is the lowest researchers in r&d recorded in European Union?
The lowest recorded value was 1,960 per million people in 1996.
How does European Union rank for researchers in r&d?
European Union ranks 2nd out of 2 groups with data for 2023.
Is researchers in r&d rising or falling in European Union?
Over the last ten years it is up 41.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this European Union data come from?
The figures come from Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Researchers in R&D (per million people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Researchers in R&D in European Union. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/researchers-in-r-and-d-per-million-people/european-union/

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About this data

Indicator
Researchers in R&D (per million people)
Unit
per million people
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
128 places, 2,361 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

The number of researchers engaged in Research &Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Researchers are professionals who conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models techniques instrumentation, software of operational methods. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.