R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in China
China: R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita was 2,107 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in China, 1996–2023
Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per million people.
Analysis
In 2023, r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in China stood at 2,107 per million people. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
That represents a change of up 14.0% on the previous year and up 95.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in China peaked at 2,107 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 389.63 per million people, in 1998.
China ranks 45th of 103 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in China, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 447.1 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 476.21 per million people | +6.5% |
| 1998 | 389.63 per million people | -18.2% |
| 1999 | 422.98 per million people | +8.6% |
| 2000 | 549.58 per million people | +29.9% |
| 2001 | 582.79 per million people | +6.0% |
| 2002 | 631.74 per million people | +8.4% |
| 2003 | 667.93 per million people | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 713.43 per million people | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 856.66 per million people | +20.1% |
| 2006 | 931.2 per million people | +8.7% |
| 2007 | 1,077 per million people | +15.6% |
| 2008 | 1,198 per million people | +11.2% |
| 2009 | 861.25 per million people | -28.1% |
| 2010 | 898.86 per million people | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 972.02 per million people | +8.1% |
| 2012 | 1,029 per million people | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 1,080 per million people | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 1,102 per million people | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 1,163 per million people | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 1,209 per million people | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 1,236 per million people | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 1,317 per million people | +6.6% |
| 2019 | 1,484 per million people | +12.6% |
| 2020 | 1,600 per million people | +7.8% |
| 2021 | 1,686 per million people | +5.4% |
| 2022 | 1,849 per million people | +9.7% |
| 2023 | 2,107 per million people | +14.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2,107 per million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 758.01 per million people, 2.8× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- China's 2,107 per million people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3,338 per million people, 63% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | -28.1% | 1,198 per million people | 861.25 per million people |
| 2000 | +29.9% | 422.98 per million people | 549.58 per million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 433.98 per million people | 389.63 per million people | 476.21 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 806.89 per million people | 549.58 per million people | 1,198 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,149 per million people | 898.86 per million people | 1,484 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,811 per million people | 1,600 per million people | 2,107 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More science & technology data for China
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 131.75 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.33 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 1.87 billion (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 194.33 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 2.73 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 2.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 156,053 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 156,053 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in China?
- R&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in China was 2,107 per million people in 2023, according to UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2,107 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 389.63 per million people in 1998.
- How does China rank for r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita?
- China ranks 45th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 95.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Professionals conceiving or creating new knowledge, products, processes, methods, or systems. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.