Number of R&D researchers per million people in Italy
Italy: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 2,855 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Italy, 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 Italy stood at 2,855 per million people. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 49.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Italy peaked at 2,855 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1,138 per million people, in 1999.
Italy ranks 34th of 103 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Italy, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1,338 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 1,149 per million people | -14.1% |
| 1998 | 1,143 per million people | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 1,138 per million people | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 1,155 per million people | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 1,164 per million people | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 1,243 per million people | +6.8% |
| 2003 | 1,223 per million people | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 1,242 per million people | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 1,413 per million people | +13.7% |
| 2006 | 1,508 per million people | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 1,580 per million people | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 1,614 per million people | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 1,704 per million people | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 1,723 per million people | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 1,761 per million people | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 1,831 per million people | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 1,916 per million people | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 1,947 per million people | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 2,076 per million people | +6.6% |
| 2016 | 2,210 per million people | +6.4% |
| 2017 | 2,322 per million people | +5.1% |
| 2018 | 2,524 per million people | +8.7% |
| 2019 | 2,671 per million people | +5.8% |
| 2020 | 2,615 per million people | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 2,659 per million people | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 2,796 per million people | +5.1% |
| 2023 | 2,855 per million people | +2.1% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 2,855 per million people is below the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 62% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Italy's 2,855 per million people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,675 per million people, 78% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,192 per million people | 1,138 per million people | 1,338 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 1,384 per million people | 1,155 per million people | 1,704 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,098 per million people | 1,723 per million people | 2,671 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,731 per million people | 2,615 per million people | 2,855 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More science & technology data for Italy
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 132.57 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.33 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 78.67 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 265.33 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.5331 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.2689 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 1,188 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 1,188 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Italy?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Italy was 2,855 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 2,855 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,138 per million people in 1999.
- How does Italy rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Italy ranks 34th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy 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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