Number of R&D researchers per million people in Estonia
Estonia: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 4,800 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Estonia, 1998–2023
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 Estonia stood at 4,800 per million people. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 43.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Estonia peaked at 4,800 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1,903 per million people, in 2000.
That places Estonia 24th out of 103 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Estonia, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 2,102 per million people | — |
| 1999 | 2,135 per million people | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 1,903 per million people | -10.9% |
| 2001 | 1,925 per million people | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 2,211 per million people | +14.9% |
| 2003 | 2,194 per million people | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 2,466 per million people | +12.4% |
| 2005 | 2,451 per million people | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 2,601 per million people | +6.1% |
| 2007 | 2,748 per million people | +5.6% |
| 2008 | 2,973 per million people | +8.2% |
| 2009 | 3,230 per million people | +8.6% |
| 2010 | 3,058 per million people | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 3,393 per million people | +11.0% |
| 2012 | 3,458 per million people | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 3,338 per million people | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 3,286 per million people | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 3,188 per million people | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 3,296 per million people | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 3,552 per million people | +7.8% |
| 2018 | 3,766 per million people | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 3,770 per million people | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 3,836 per million people | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 4,036 per million people | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 4,655 per million people | +15.3% |
| 2023 | 4,800 per million people | +3.1% |
Estonia compared with similar countries
- Estonia's 4,800 per million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 1.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Estonia's 4,800 per million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,675 per million people, 1.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2,119 per million people | 2,102 per million people | 2,135 per million people | 2 |
| 2000s | 2,470 per million people | 1,903 per million people | 3,230 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,411 per million people | 3,058 per million people | 3,770 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,332 per million people | 3,836 per million people | 4,800 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Estonia
More science & technology data for Estonia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 151.13 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.5 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 2.06 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 48.06 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.6232 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.1339 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 3 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 3 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Estonia?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Estonia was 4,800 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 Estonia?
- The highest recorded value was 4,800 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Estonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,903 per million people in 2000.
- How does Estonia rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Estonia ranks 24th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Estonia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 43.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Estonia 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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