Number of R&D researchers per million people in Sweden
Sweden: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 8,911 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of R&D researchers per million people in Sweden, 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 Sweden is 8,911 per million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 32.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in Sweden peaked at 8,911 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4,170 per million people, in 1997.
Sweden ranks 2nd 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 Sweden, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 4,170 per million people | — |
| 1999 | 4,509 per million people | +8.1% |
| 2001 | 5,178 per million people | +14.8% |
| 2003 | 5,389 per million people | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 5,435 per million people | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 6,103 per million people | +12.3% |
| 2006 | 6,159 per million people | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 5,027 per million people | -18.4% |
| 2008 | 5,469 per million people | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 5,111 per million people | -6.5% |
| 2010 | 5,279 per million people | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 5,172 per million people | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 5,197 per million people | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 6,718 per million people | +29.3% |
| 2014 | 6,909 per million people | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 6,846 per million people | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 7,143 per million people | +4.3% |
| 2017 | 7,317 per million people | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 7,426 per million people | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 7,686 per million people | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 7,755 per million people | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 8,160 per million people | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 8,639 per million people | +5.9% |
| 2023 | 8,911 per million people | +3.1% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 8,911 per million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 1.9× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 8,911 per million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,675 per million people, 2.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of R&D researchers per million people in Sweden 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +29.3% | 5,197 per million people | 6,718 per million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4,339 per million people | 4,170 per million people | 4,509 per million people | 2 |
| 2000s | 5,484 per million people | 5,027 per million people | 6,159 per million people | 8 |
| 2010s | 6,569 per million people | 5,172 per million people | 7,686 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 8,366 per million people | 7,755 per million people | 8,911 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More science & technology data for Sweden
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 140.69 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.41 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 14.92 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 36.34 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.3001 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.8277 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 296 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 296 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in Sweden?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in Sweden was 8,911 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 8,911 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 4,170 per million people in 1997.
- How does Sweden rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- Sweden ranks 2nd out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden 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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