Number of R&D researchers per million people in Ireland
Ireland: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 5,753 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Ireland, 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
Ireland recorded 5,753 per million people for number of r&d researchers per million people in 2023. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 3.6% on the previous year and up 11.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Ireland peaked at 5,753 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1,772 per million people, in 1996.
Ireland ranks 15th 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 Ireland, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1,772 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 1,929 per million people | +8.9% |
| 1998 | 2,091 per million people | +8.4% |
| 1999 | 2,111 per million people | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 2,256 per million people | +6.8% |
| 2001 | 2,337 per million people | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 2,406 per million people | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 2,535 per million people | +5.3% |
| 2004 | 2,735 per million people | +7.9% |
| 2005 | 2,821 per million people | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 2,896 per million people | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 2,929 per million people | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 3,257 per million people | +11.2% |
| 2009 | 3,140 per million people | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 3,117 per million people | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 3,341 per million people | +7.2% |
| 2012 | 4,874 per million people | +45.9% |
| 2013 | 5,142 per million people | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 5,291 per million people | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 5,242 per million people | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 5,144 per million people | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 5,114 per million people | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 4,657 per million people | -8.9% |
| 2019 | 4,961 per million people | +6.5% |
| 2020 | 5,196 per million people | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 5,213 per million people | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 5,555 per million people | +6.6% |
| 2023 | 5,753 per million people | +3.6% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 5,753 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)
- Ireland's 5,753 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)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of R&D researchers per million people in Ireland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +45.9% | 3,341 per million people | 4,874 per million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,976 per million people | 1,772 per million people | 2,111 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 2,731 per million people | 2,256 per million people | 3,257 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,688 per million people | 3,117 per million people | 5,291 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 5,429 per million people | 5,196 per million people | 5,753 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More science & technology data for Ireland
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 112.64 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.1 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 5.92 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 83.58 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 1.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 2.8 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 64 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 64 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Ireland?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Ireland was 5,753 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 Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 5,753 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,772 per million people in 1996.
- How does Ireland rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Ireland ranks 15th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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.