Researchers in R&D in New Zealand

New Zealand: Researchers in R&D was 5,435 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
5,435 per million people
Change on year
up 6.7%
World rank
19th
of 103 countries
All-time high
5,665 per million people
in 2019
All-time low
2,200 per million people
in 1997
Years of data
14
1997–2023

Researchers in R&D in New Zealand, 1997–2023

02.0k4.0k6.0k1997201020231997: 2.2k per million people1999: 2.3k per million people2001: 2.7k per million people2003: 3.1k per million people2005: 3.2k per million people2007: 3.5k per million people2009: 3.8k per million people2011: 3.7k per million people2013: 4.0k per million people2015: 5.5k per million people2017: 5.0k per million people2019: 5.7k per million people2021: 5.1k per million people2023: 5.4k 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 New Zealand stood at 5,435 per million people.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.7% on the previous year and up 34.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, researchers in r&d in New Zealand peaked at 5,665 per million people in 2019 and was at its lowest, 2,200 per million people, in 1997.

That places New Zealand 19th out of 103 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.

Researchers in R&D in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Researchers in R&D (per million people) in New Zealand, 1997 to 2023.
Year per million people Change
1997 2,200 per million people
1999 2,292 per million people +4.2%
2001 2,669 per million people +16.5%
2003 3,100 per million people +16.1%
2005 3,159 per million people +1.9%
2007 3,473 per million people +9.9%
2009 3,760 per million people +8.3%
2011 3,731 per million people -0.8%
2013 4,044 per million people +8.4%
2015 5,477 per million people +35.4%
2017 5,036 per million people -8.1%
2019 5,665 per million people +12.5%
2021 5,095 per million people -10.1%
2023 5,435 per million people +6.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2,246 per million people 2,200 per million people 2,292 per million people 2
2000s 3,232 per million people 2,669 per million people 3,760 per million people 5
2010s 4,791 per million people 3,731 per million people 5,665 per million people 5
2020s 5,265 per million people 5,095 per million people 5,435 per million people 2

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 16 Canada 5,624 per million people compare
  2. 17 Slovenia 5,616 per million people compare
  3. 18 Japan 5,609 per million people compare
  4. 20 France 5,369 per million people compare
  5. 21 Luxembourg 5,359 per million people compare
  6. 22 Greece 5,283 per million people compare

See the full ranking of 128 places →

More science & technology data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is researchers in r&d in New Zealand?
Researchers in r&d in New Zealand was 5,435 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 New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 5,665 per million people in 2019.
What is the lowest researchers in r&d recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 2,200 per million people in 1997.
How does New Zealand rank for researchers in r&d?
New Zealand ranks 19th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
Is researchers in r&d rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 34.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this New Zealand 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 New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/researchers-in-r-and-d-per-million-people/new-zealand/

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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.