Number of R&D researchers per million people in Belgium
Belgium: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 5,990 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Belgium, 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, number of r&d researchers per million people in Belgium stood at 5,990 per million people. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.9% on the previous year and up 43.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Belgium peaked at 5,990 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2,477 per million people, in 1996.
That places Belgium 10th 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.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Belgium, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2,477 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 2,582 per million people | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 2,707 per million people | +4.8% |
| 1999 | 2,911 per million people | +7.5% |
| 2000 | 2,983 per million people | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 3,141 per million people | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 2,975 per million people | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 2,985 per million people | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 3,116 per million people | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 3,173 per million people | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 3,318 per million people | +4.6% |
| 2007 | 3,431 per million people | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 3,448 per million people | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 3,555 per million people | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 3,756 per million people | +5.7% |
| 2011 | 3,880 per million people | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 4,117 per million people | +6.1% |
| 2013 | 4,162 per million people | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 4,545 per million people | +9.2% |
| 2015 | 4,732 per million people | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 4,798 per million people | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 4,757 per million people | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 5,040 per million people | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 5,291 per million people | +5.0% |
| 2020 | 5,419 per million people | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 5,771 per million people | +6.5% |
| 2022 | 5,819 per million people | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 5,990 per million people | +2.9% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 5,990 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)
- Belgium's 5,990 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)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2,669 per million people | 2,477 per million people | 2,911 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 3,212 per million people | 2,975 per million people | 3,555 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,508 per million people | 3,756 per million people | 5,291 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,750 per million people | 5,419 per million people | 5,990 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More science & technology data for Belgium
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 103.91 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.03 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 12.20 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 396.38 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.687 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.9084 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 412 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 412 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Belgium?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Belgium was 5,990 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 number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 5,990 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,477 per million people in 1996.
- How does Belgium rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Belgium ranks 10th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium 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 Number of R&D researchers per million people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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