Number of R&D researchers per million people in Malta
Malta: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 2,355 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Malta, 2002–2023
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 Malta stood at 2,355 per million people. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and up 25.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Malta peaked at 2,355 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 672.92 per million people, in 2002.
Malta ranks 41st of 103 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Malta, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 672.92 per million people | — |
| 2003 | 678.26 per million people | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 1,065 per million people | +57.0% |
| 2005 | 1,162 per million people | +9.2% |
| 2006 | 1,257 per million people | +8.1% |
| 2007 | 1,182 per million people | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 1,294 per million people | +9.5% |
| 2009 | 1,177 per million people | -9.1% |
| 2010 | 1,392 per million people | +18.3% |
| 2011 | 1,761 per million people | +26.5% |
| 2012 | 1,969 per million people | +11.8% |
| 2013 | 1,880 per million people | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 1,835 per million people | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 1,865 per million people | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 1,990 per million people | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 2,027 per million people | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 1,905 per million people | -6.0% |
| 2019 | 1,903 per million people | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 1,965 per million people | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 2,083 per million people | +6.0% |
| 2022 | 2,314 per million people | +11.1% |
| 2023 | 2,355 per million people | +1.8% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 2,355 per million people is below the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 51% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Malta's 2,355 per million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1,102 per million people, 2.1× the median. (12 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of R&D researchers per million people in Malta 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +57.0% | 678.26 per million people | 1,065 per million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1,061 per million people | 672.92 per million people | 1,294 per million people | 8 |
| 2010s | 1,853 per million people | 1,392 per million people | 2,027 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,179 per million people | 1,965 per million people | 2,355 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malta
More science & technology data for Malta
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 142.07 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.35 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 766,620 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 2,342 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 1.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 2.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 13 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 13 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Malta?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Malta was 2,355 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 2,355 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 672.92 per million people in 2002.
- How does Malta rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Malta ranks 41st out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malta 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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