Number of R&D researchers per million people in Denmark
Denmark: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 8,838 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Denmark, 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 Denmark stood at 8,838 per million people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.2% on the previous year and up 24.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Denmark peaked at 9,037 per million people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3,180 per million people, in 1996.
Denmark ranks 3rd of 103 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Denmark, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 3,180 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 3,320 per million people | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 3,565 per million people | +7.4% |
| 2001 | 3,637 per million people | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 4,759 per million people | +30.9% |
| 2003 | 4,622 per million people | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 4,848 per million people | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 5,207 per million people | +7.4% |
| 2006 | 5,315 per million people | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 5,539 per million people | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 6,520 per million people | +17.7% |
| 2009 | 6,675 per million people | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 6,764 per million people | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 7,046 per million people | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 7,182 per million people | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 7,115 per million people | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 7,358 per million people | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 7,566 per million people | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 7,852 per million people | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 7,648 per million people | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 7,598 per million people | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 7,694 per million people | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 7,651 per million people | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 7,708 per million people | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 9,037 per million people | +17.2% |
| 2023 | 8,838 per million people | -2.2% |
Denmark compared with similar countries
- Denmark's 8,838 per million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 1.9× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Denmark's 8,838 per million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,675 per million people, 2.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of R&D researchers per million people in Denmark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +30.9% | 3,637 per million people | 4,759 per million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3,355 per million people | 3,180 per million people | 3,565 per million people | 3 |
| 2000s | 5,236 per million people | 3,637 per million people | 6,675 per million people | 9 |
| 2010s | 7,382 per million people | 6,764 per million people | 7,852 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 8,309 per million people | 7,651 per million people | 9,037 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Denmark
More science & technology data for Denmark
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 126.69 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.27 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 7.57 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 188.43 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.0237 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.4681 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 204 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 204 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Denmark?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Denmark was 8,838 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 Denmark?
- The highest recorded value was 9,037 per million people in 2022.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Denmark?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,180 per million people in 1996.
- How does Denmark rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Denmark ranks 3rd out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Denmark?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Denmark 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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Professionals engaged in conceiving or creating new knowledge, products, processes, methods, or systems.