R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in Malaysia

Malaysia: R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita was 1,218 per million people in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)
1,218 per million people
Change on year
up 71.2%
World rank
54th
of 103 countries
All-time high
2,334 per million people
in 2016
All-time low
91.99 per million people
in 1996
Years of data
17
1996–2022

R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in Malaysia, 1996–2022

05001.0k1.5k2.0k2.5k1996200920221996: 92 per million people1998: 157.9 per million people2000: 283 per million people2002: 300.6 per million people2004: 507.4 per million people2006: 371.1 per million people2008: 599 per million people2009: 1.1k per million people2010: 1.5k per million people2011: 1.6k per million people2012: 1.8k per million people2014: 2.0k per million people2015: 2.3k per million people2016: 2.3k per million people2018: 2.1k per million people2020: 711.5 per million people2022: 1.2k per million people

Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per million people.

Analysis

Malaysia recorded 1,218 per million people for r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in 2022.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 71.2% on the previous year and down 31.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in Malaysia peaked at 2,334 per million people in 2016 and was at its lowest, 91.99 per million people, in 1996.

Malaysia ranks 54th of 103 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in Malaysia, 1996 to 2022.
Year per million people Change
1996 91.99 per million people —
1998 157.87 per million people +71.6%
2000 282.98 per million people +79.3%
2002 300.56 per million people +6.2%
2004 507.43 per million people +68.8%
2006 371.05 per million people -26.9%
2008 598.97 per million people +61.4%
2009 1,063 per million people +77.5%
2010 1,453 per million people +36.7%
2011 1,634 per million people +12.5%
2012 1,770 per million people +8.3%
2014 2,016 per million people +13.9%
2015 2,257 per million people +11.9%
2016 2,334 per million people +3.4%
2018 2,110 per million people -9.6%
2020 711.51 per million people -66.3%
2022 1,218 per million people +71.2%

Malaysia compared with similar countries

  • Malaysia's 1,218 per million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 758.01 per million people, 1.6× the median. (31 countries reporting)
  • Malaysia's 1,218 per million people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3,338 per million people, 36% of the median. (14 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 124.93 per million people 91.99 per million people 157.87 per million people 2
2000s 520.67 per million people 282.98 per million people 1,063 per million people 6
2010s 1,939 per million people 1,453 per million people 2,334 per million people 7
2020s 964.92 per million people 711.51 per million people 1,218 per million people 2

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 51 Belarus 1,568 per million people
  2. 52 Argentina 1,313 per million people compare
  3. 53 Saudi Arabia 1,235 per million people
  4. 55 Egypt 1,120 per million people compare
  5. 56 Morocco 1,083 per million people compare
  6. 57 Romania 1,082 per million people compare

See the full ranking of 103 places →

More science & technology data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in Malaysia?
R&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in Malaysia was 1,218 per million people in 2022, 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 Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 2,334 per million people in 2016.
What is the lowest r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 91.99 per million people in 1996.
How does Malaysia rank for r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita?
Malaysia ranks 54th out of 103 countries with data for 2022.
Is r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is down 31.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malaysia 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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R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/researchers-in-rd-per-million-people-vs-gdp-pc/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita
Unit
per million people
Source
UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
103 places, 1,875 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

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.