Number of R&D researchers per million people in New Zealand
New Zealand: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 5,435 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of R&D researchers per million people in New Zealand, 1997–2023
Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per million people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of r&d researchers per million people in New Zealand is 5,435 per million people, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 6.7% on the previous year and up 34.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in New Zealand peaked at 5,665 per million people in 2019 and was at its lowest, 2,200 per million people, in 1997.
That places New Zealand 19th out of 103 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 2,200 per million people | — |
| 1999 | 2,292 per million people | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 2,669 per million people | +16.5% |
| 2003 | 3,100 per million people | +16.1% |
| 2005 | 3,159 per million people | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 3,473 per million people | +9.9% |
| 2009 | 3,760 per million people | +8.3% |
| 2011 | 3,731 per million people | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 4,044 per million people | +8.4% |
| 2015 | 5,477 per million people | +35.4% |
| 2017 | 5,036 per million people | -8.1% |
| 2019 | 5,665 per million people | +12.5% |
| 2021 | 5,095 per million people | -10.1% |
| 2023 | 5,435 per million people | +6.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2,246 per million people | 2,200 per million people | 2,292 per million people | 2 |
| 2000s | 3,232 per million people | 2,669 per million people | 3,760 per million people | 5 |
| 2010s | 4,791 per million people | 3,731 per million people | 5,665 per million people | 5 |
| 2020s | 5,265 per million people | 5,095 per million people | 5,435 per million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More science & technology data for New Zealand
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 130.09 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.28 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 6.78 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 24.92 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 3.37 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 8,096 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0016 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in New Zealand?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in New Zealand was 5,435 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 5,665 per million people in 2019.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,200 per million people in 1997.
- How does New Zealand rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- New Zealand ranks 19th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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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