Number of R&D researchers per million people in Germany
Germany: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 5,926 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
5,926 per million people
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
13th
of 103 countries
All-time high
5,926 per million people
in 2023
All-time low
2,802 per million people
in 1996
Years of data
28
1996–2023
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Germany, 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 Germany stood at 5,926 per million people. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 35.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Germany peaked at 5,926 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2,802 per million people, in 1996.
Germany ranks 13th 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 Germany, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2,802 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 2,863 per million people | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 2,884 per million people | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 3,121 per million people | +8.2% |
| 2000 | 3,154 per million people | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 3,230 per million people | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 3,241 per million people | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 3,275 per million people | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 3,291 per million people | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 3,316 per million people | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 3,412 per million people | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 3,574 per million people | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 3,727 per million people | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 3,917 per million people | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 4,056 per million people | +3.6% |
| 2011 | 4,192 per million people | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 4,356 per million people | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 4,380 per million people | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 4,336 per million people | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 4,755 per million people | +9.7% |
| 2016 | 4,840 per million people | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 5,058 per million people | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 5,209 per million people | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 5,399 per million people | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 5,390 per million people | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 5,521 per million people | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 5,802 per million people | +5.1% |
| 2023 | 5,926 per million people | +2.1% |
Germany compared with similar countries
- Germany's 5,926 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)
- Germany's 5,926 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 | 2,917 per million people | 2,802 per million people | 3,121 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 3,414 per million people | 3,154 per million people | 3,917 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,658 per million people | 4,056 per million people | 5,399 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,660 per million people | 5,390 per million people | 5,926 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Germany
More science & technology data for Germany
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 129.15 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.31 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 109.20 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 301.63 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 3.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 3.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 19,177 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 19,177 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Germany?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Germany was 5,926 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 Germany?
- The highest recorded value was 5,926 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Germany?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,802 per million people in 1996.
- How does Germany rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Germany ranks 13th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Germany?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Germany 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.