Number of R&D researchers per million people in France
France: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 5,369 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
5,369 per million people
Change on year
up 3.6%
World rank
20th
of 103 countries
All-time high
5,369 per million people
in 2023
All-time low
2,646 per million people
in 1997
Years of data
28
1996–2023
Number of R&D researchers per million people in France, 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 France stood at 5,369 per million people. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.6% on the previous year and up 29.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in France peaked at 5,369 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2,646 per million people, in 1997.
France ranks 20th of 103 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in France, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2,656 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 2,646 per million people | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 2,655 per million people | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 2,724 per million people | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 2,903 per million people | +6.6% |
| 2001 | 2,971 per million people | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 3,101 per million people | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 3,185 per million people | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 3,321 per million people | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 3,298 per million people | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 3,405 per million people | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 3,564 per million people | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 3,636 per million people | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 3,723 per million people | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 3,850 per million people | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 3,921 per million people | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 4,052 per million people | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 4,134 per million people | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 4,210 per million people | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 4,311 per million people | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 4,392 per million people | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 4,547 per million people | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 4,671 per million people | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 4,774 per million people | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 4,883 per million people | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 5,058 per million people | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 5,182 per million people | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 5,369 per million people | +3.6% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 5,369 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)
- France's 5,369 per million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,675 per million people, 1.5× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2,670 per million people | 2,646 per million people | 2,724 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 3,311 per million people | 2,903 per million people | 3,723 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,286 per million people | 3,850 per million people | 4,774 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,123 per million people | 4,883 per million people | 5,369 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
- 17 Slovenia 5,616 per million people compare
- 18 Japan 5,609 per million people compare
- 19 New Zealand 5,435 per million people compare
- 21 Luxembourg 5,359 per million people compare
- 22 Greece 5,283 per million people compare
- 23 United States 4,937 per million people compare
More science & technology data for France
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 116.69 (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.13 units per person (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 77.53 million (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 143.85 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.6356 % change on previous year (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.8809 % change on previous year (2023)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 1,378 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 1,378 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in France?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in France was 5,369 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 5,369 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,646 per million people in 1997.
- How does France rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- France ranks 20th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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.