Number of R&D researchers per million people in Canada
Canada: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 5,624 per million people in 2022. ▲ Rising
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Canada, 1996–2022
Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per million people.
Analysis
Canada recorded 5,624 per million people for number of r&d researchers per million people in 2022. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Canada peaked at 5,624 per million people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3,056 per million people, in 1996.
Canada ranks 16th of 103 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Canada, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 3,056 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 3,114 per million people | +1.9% |
| 1998 | 3,153 per million people | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 3,238 per million people | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 3,510 per million people | +8.4% |
| 2001 | 3,688 per million people | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 3,695 per million people | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 3,888 per million people | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 4,077 per million people | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 4,234 per million people | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 4,315 per million people | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 4,597 per million people | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 4,726 per million people | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 4,466 per million people | -5.5% |
| 2010 | 4,664 per million people | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 4,803 per million people | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 4,652 per million people | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 4,648 per million people | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 4,564 per million people | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 4,546 per million people | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 4,400 per million people | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 4,429 per million people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 4,716 per million people | +6.5% |
| 2019 | 4,851 per million people | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 5,156 per million people | +6.3% |
| 2021 | 5,508 per million people | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 5,624 per million people | +2.1% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 5,624 per million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 1.2× the median. (50 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3,140 per million people | 3,056 per million people | 3,238 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 4,120 per million people | 3,510 per million people | 4,726 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,627 per million people | 4,400 per million people | 4,851 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,429 per million people | 5,156 per million people | 5,624 per million people | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More science & technology data for Canada
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 94.11 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.9064 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 37.40 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 4.21 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.0464 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 1.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 31,070 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 31,070 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Canada?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Canada was 5,624 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 number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 5,624 per million people in 2022.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,056 per million people in 1996.
- How does Canada rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Canada ranks 16th out of 103 countries with data for 2022.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Canada 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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About this data
Professionals engaged in conceiving or creating new knowledge, products, processes, methods, or systems.