Researchers per million inhabitants in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa

MDG: Sub-saharan Africa: Researchers per million inhabitants was 92.59 FTE in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
92.59 FTE
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
47th
of 50 groups
All-time high
98.15 FTE
in 2017
All-time low
60.17 FTE
in 1997
Years of data
28
1996–2023

Researchers per million inhabitants in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1996–2023

0204060801001996200920231996: 60.3 FTE1997: 60.2 FTE1998: 62 FTE1999: 63.8 FTE2000: 65.5 FTE2001: 68.1 FTE2002: 67.8 FTE2003: 68.7 FTE2004: 74 FTE2005: 75.2 FTE2006: 73.9 FTE2007: 72.3 FTE2008: 77.4 FTE2009: 81.4 FTE2010: 84 FTE2011: 85.9 FTE2012: 87.2 FTE2013: 89.4 FTE2014: 90.5 FTE2015: 94.4 FTE2016: 95.6 FTE2017: 98.1 FTE2018: 97.3 FTE2019: 95.7 FTE2020: 94 FTE2021: 93 FTE2022: 92 FTE2023: 92.6 FTE

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in FTE.

Analysis

In 2023, researchers per million inhabitants in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 92.59 FTE.

The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 3.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, researchers per million inhabitants in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 98.15 FTE in 2017 and was at its lowest, 60.17 FTE, in 1997.

That places MDG: Sub-saharan Africa 47th out of 50 groups with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.

Researchers per million inhabitants in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Researchers per million inhabitants (FTE) in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa, 1996 to 2023.
Year FTE Change
1996 60.35 FTE
1997 60.17 FTE -0.3%
1998 62.04 FTE +3.1%
1999 63.81 FTE +2.8%
2000 65.5 FTE +2.7%
2001 68.09 FTE +4.0%
2002 67.83 FTE -0.4%
2003 68.71 FTE +1.3%
2004 73.99 FTE +7.7%
2005 75.2 FTE +1.6%
2006 73.89 FTE -1.7%
2007 72.29 FTE -2.2%
2008 77.4 FTE +7.1%
2009 81.36 FTE +5.1%
2010 84.03 FTE +3.3%
2011 85.86 FTE +2.2%
2012 87.24 FTE +1.6%
2013 89.35 FTE +2.4%
2014 90.47 FTE +1.2%
2015 94.43 FTE +4.4%
2016 95.6 FTE +1.2%
2017 98.15 FTE +2.7%
2018 97.25 FTE -0.9%
2019 95.7 FTE -1.6%
2020 94.04 FTE -1.7%
2021 93.02 FTE -1.1%
2022 91.96 FTE -1.1%
2023 92.59 FTE +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 61.59 FTE 60.17 FTE 63.81 FTE 4
2000s 72.43 FTE 65.5 FTE 81.36 FTE 10
2010s 91.81 FTE 84.03 FTE 98.15 FTE 10
2020s 92.9 FTE 91.96 FTE 94.04 FTE 4

Countries ranked near MDG: Sub-saharan Africa

  1. 44 Cuba 2,171 FTE compare
  2. 45 China 2,107 FTE compare
  3. 46 Georgia 1,896 FTE compare
  4. 47 Cyprus 1,686 FTE compare
  5. 48 Tunisia 1,668 FTE compare
  6. 49 Azerbaijan 1,663 FTE compare
  7. 50 Thailand 1,592 FTE compare

See the full ranking of 153 places →

More science & technology data for MDG: Sub-saharan Africa

All data for MDG: Sub-saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is researchers per million inhabitants in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Researchers per million inhabitants in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa was 92.59 FTE in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest researchers per million inhabitants recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 98.15 FTE in 2017.
What is the lowest researchers per million inhabitants recorded in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 60.17 FTE in 1997.
How does MDG: Sub-saharan Africa rank for researchers per million inhabitants?
MDG: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 47th out of 50 groups with data for 2023.
Is researchers per million inhabitants rising or falling in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this MDG: Sub-saharan Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Researchers per million inhabitants (FTE). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Researchers per million inhabitants in MDG: Sub-saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/researchers-per-million-inhabitants-fte/mdg-sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Researchers per million inhabitants (FTE)
Unit
FTE
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
153 places, 3,275 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release