R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in Portugal
Portugal: R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita was 5,983 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in Portugal, 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
Portugal recorded 5,983 per million people for r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in 2023. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 5.2% on the previous year and up 65.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in Portugal peaked at 5,983 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1,256 per million people, in 1996.
That places Portugal 11th out of 103 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Portugal, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1,256 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 1,352 per million people | +7.7% |
| 1998 | 1,450 per million people | +7.2% |
| 1999 | 1,547 per million people | +6.6% |
| 2000 | 1,634 per million people | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 1,717 per million people | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 1,828 per million people | +6.4% |
| 2003 | 1,939 per million people | +6.1% |
| 2004 | 1,976 per million people | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 2,013 per million people | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 2,345 per million people | +16.5% |
| 2007 | 2,674 per million people | +14.1% |
| 2008 | 3,827 per million people | +43.1% |
| 2009 | 3,769 per million people | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 3,924 per million people | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 4,166 per million people | +6.2% |
| 2012 | 4,032 per million people | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 3,606 per million people | -10.6% |
| 2014 | 3,658 per million people | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 3,725 per million people | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 3,992 per million people | +7.2% |
| 2017 | 4,348 per million people | +8.9% |
| 2018 | 4,614 per million people | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 4,859 per million people | +5.3% |
| 2020 | 5,131 per million people | +5.6% |
| 2021 | 5,431 per million people | +5.8% |
| 2022 | 5,687 per million people | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 5,983 per million people | +5.2% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 5,983 per million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 1.3× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 5,983 per million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,675 per million people, 1.6× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where R&D researchers per million people vs. GDP per capita in Portugal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +43.1% | 2,674 per million people | 3,827 per million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,401 per million people | 1,256 per million people | 1,547 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 2,372 per million people | 1,634 per million people | 3,827 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,092 per million people | 3,606 per million people | 4,859 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,558 per million people | 5,131 per million people | 5,983 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More science & technology data for Portugal
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 124.13 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.21 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 12.94 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 140.06 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.9171 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.8644 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 53 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 53 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in Portugal?
- R&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita in Portugal was 5,983 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 5,983 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,256 per million people in 1996.
- How does Portugal rank for r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita?
- Portugal ranks 11th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is r&d researchers per million people vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 65.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal 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.