Researchers in R&D in Iceland

Iceland: Researchers in R&D was 5,953 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
5,953 per million people
Change on year
down 13.3%
World rank
12th
of 103 countries
All-time high
7,999 per million people
in 2006
All-time low
3,321 per million people
in 1996
Years of data
18
1996–2023

Researchers in R&D in Iceland, 1996–2023

02.0k4.0k6.0k8.0k1996200920231996: 3.3k per million people1997: 5.0k per million people1998: 5.2k per million people1999: 5.7k per million people2001: 6.6k per million people2003: 6.6k per million people2005: 7.3k per million people2006: 8.0k per million people2007: 7.2k per million people2008: 7.3k per million people2009: 7.8k per million people2011: 7.1k per million people2013: 5.7k per million people2017: 6.0k per million people2018: 5.6k per million people2021: 6.9k per million people2022: 6.9k per million people2023: 6.0k per million people

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

Analysis

In 2023, researchers in r&d in Iceland stood at 5,953 per million people.

The figure is down 13.3% on the previous year and up 3.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, researchers in r&d in Iceland peaked at 7,999 per million people in 2006 and was at its lowest, 3,321 per million people, in 1996.

Iceland ranks 12th of 103 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.

Researchers in R&D in Iceland, year by year

Annual values for Researchers in R&D (per million people) in Iceland, 1996 to 2023.
Year per million people Change
1996 3,321 per million people
1997 4,968 per million people +49.6%
1998 5,191 per million people +4.5%
1999 5,720 per million people +10.2%
2001 6,560 per million people +14.7%
2003 6,644 per million people +1.3%
2005 7,338 per million people +10.4%
2006 7,999 per million people +9.0%
2007 7,176 per million people -10.3%
2008 7,313 per million people +1.9%
2009 7,841 per million people +7.2%
2011 7,089 per million people -9.6%
2013 5,740 per million people -19.0%
2017 5,980 per million people +4.2%
2018 5,646 per million people -5.6%
2021 6,941 per million people +22.9%
2022 6,864 per million people -1.1%
2023 5,953 per million people -13.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 4,800 per million people 3,321 per million people 5,720 per million people 4
2000s 7,267 per million people 6,560 per million people 7,999 per million people 7
2010s 6,113 per million people 5,646 per million people 7,089 per million people 4
2020s 6,586 per million people 5,953 per million people 6,941 per million people 3

Countries ranked near Iceland

  1. 9 Switzerland 6,108 per million people compare
  2. 10 Belgium 5,990 per million people compare
  3. 11 Portugal 5,983 per million people compare
  4. 13 Germany 5,926 per million people compare
  5. 14 Hong Kong 5,874 per million people compare
  6. 15 Ireland 5,753 per million people compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More science & technology data for Iceland

All data for Iceland →

Frequently asked questions

What is researchers in r&d in Iceland?
Researchers in r&d in Iceland was 5,953 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 Iceland?
The highest recorded value was 7,999 per million people in 2006.
What is the lowest researchers in r&d recorded in Iceland?
The lowest recorded value was 3,321 per million people in 1996.
How does Iceland rank for researchers in r&d?
Iceland ranks 12th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
Is researchers in r&d rising or falling in Iceland?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iceland 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 Iceland. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/researchers-in-r-and-d-per-million-people/iceland/

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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.