Number of R&D researchers per million people in Latvia
Latvia: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 2,191 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2,191 per million people
Change on year
down 3.5%
World rank
43rd
of 103 countries
All-time high
2,395 per million people
in 2021
All-time low
1,056 per million people
in 1998
Years of data
28
1996–2023
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Latvia, 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 Latvia stood at 2,191 per million people.
The figure is down 3.5% on the previous year and up 22.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Latvia peaked at 2,395 per million people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1,056 per million people, in 1998.
That places Latvia 43rd out of 103 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Latvia, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1,149 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 1,067 per million people | -7.1% |
| 1998 | 1,056 per million people | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 1,094 per million people | +3.6% |
| 2000 | 1,601 per million people | +46.3% |
| 2001 | 1,485 per million people | -7.2% |
| 2002 | 1,486 per million people | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1,392 per million people | -6.3% |
| 2004 | 1,459 per million people | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 1,458 per million people | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 1,766 per million people | +21.1% |
| 2007 | 1,882 per million people | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 1,993 per million people | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 1,674 per million people | -16.0% |
| 2010 | 1,837 per million people | +9.7% |
| 2011 | 1,902 per million people | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 1,909 per million people | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 1,791 per million people | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 1,872 per million people | +4.5% |
| 2015 | 1,819 per million people | -2.9% |
| 2016 | 1,601 per million people | -12.0% |
| 2017 | 1,785 per million people | +11.5% |
| 2018 | 1,786 per million people | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 1,891 per million people | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 2,134 per million people | +12.8% |
| 2021 | 2,395 per million people | +12.2% |
| 2022 | 2,270 per million people | -5.2% |
| 2023 | 2,191 per million people | -3.5% |
Latvia compared with similar countries
- Latvia's 2,191 per million people is below the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 48% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Latvia's 2,191 per million people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,675 per million people, 60% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1,092 per million people | 1,056 per million people | 1,149 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 1,620 per million people | 1,392 per million people | 1,993 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,819 per million people | 1,601 per million people | 1,909 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,248 per million people | 2,134 per million people | 2,395 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Latvia
More science & technology data for Latvia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 121.26 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.22 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 2.27 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 36.27 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.5622 % 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 Latvia?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Latvia was 2,191 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 Latvia?
- The highest recorded value was 2,395 per million people in 2021.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Latvia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,056 per million people in 1998.
- How does Latvia rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Latvia ranks 43rd out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Latvia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Latvia 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.