Number of R&D researchers per million people in Norway
Norway: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 7,451 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Norway, 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
In 2023, number of r&d researchers per million people in Norway stood at 7,451 per million people. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 32.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Norway peaked at 7,451 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3,982 per million people, in 1997.
Norway ranks 6th of 103 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Norway, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 3,982 per million people | — |
| 1999 | 4,116 per million people | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 4,371 per million people | +6.2% |
| 2003 | 4,514 per million people | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 4,514 per million people | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 4,603 per million people | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 4,866 per million people | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 5,202 per million people | +6.9% |
| 2008 | 5,400 per million people | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 5,475 per million people | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 5,445 per million people | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 5,534 per million people | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 5,584 per million people | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 5,605 per million people | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 5,723 per million people | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 5,930 per million people | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 6,121 per million people | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 6,396 per million people | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 6,484 per million people | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 6,738 per million people | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 6,766 per million people | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 7,229 per million people | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 7,395 per million people | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 7,451 per million people | +0.8% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 7,451 per million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 1.6× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Norway's 7,451 per million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,675 per million people, 2.0× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4,049 per million people | 3,982 per million people | 4,116 per million people | 2 |
| 2000s | 4,868 per million people | 4,371 per million people | 5,475 per million people | 8 |
| 2010s | 5,956 per million people | 5,445 per million people | 6,738 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 7,210 per million people | 6,766 per million people | 7,451 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Norway
More science & technology data for Norway
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 109.35 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.09 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 6.10 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 16.61 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.2781 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.7601 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 539 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 539 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Norway?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Norway was 7,451 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 7,451 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,982 per million people in 1997.
- How does Norway rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Norway ranks 6th out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Norway 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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