Researchers per million inhabitants in South Africa
South Africa: Researchers per million inhabitants was 444.16 FTE in 2022. ▲ Rising
Researchers per million inhabitants in South Africa, 1997–2022
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in FTE.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 444.16 FTE for researchers per million inhabitants in 2022.
The figure is down 2.3% on the previous year and up 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, researchers per million inhabitants in South Africa peaked at 516.54 FTE in 2017 and was at its lowest, 188.03 FTE, in 1997.
South Africa ranks 76th 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.
Researchers per million inhabitants in South Africa, year by year
| Year | FTE | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 188.03 FTE | — |
| 2001 | 299.48 FTE | +59.3% |
| 2003 | 292.81 FTE | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 367.55 FTE | +25.5% |
| 2005 | 351.39 FTE | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 373.41 FTE | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 384.42 FTE | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 381.59 FTE | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 384.85 FTE | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 359.81 FTE | -6.5% |
| 2011 | 381.97 FTE | +6.2% |
| 2012 | 400.95 FTE | +5.0% |
| 2013 | 430.45 FTE | +7.4% |
| 2014 | 427.64 FTE | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 466.56 FTE | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 482 FTE | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 516.54 FTE | +7.2% |
| 2018 | 500.79 FTE | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 479.87 FTE | -4.2% |
| 2020 | 459.99 FTE | -4.1% |
| 2021 | 454.8 FTE | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 444.16 FTE | -2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 188.03 FTE | 188.03 FTE | 188.03 FTE | 1 |
| 2000s | 354.44 FTE | 292.81 FTE | 384.85 FTE | 8 |
| 2010s | 444.66 FTE | 359.81 FTE | 516.54 FTE | 10 |
| 2020s | 452.98 FTE | 444.16 FTE | 459.99 FTE | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More science & technology data for South Africa
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 179.34 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 89.37 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 14,949 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is researchers per million inhabitants in South Africa?
- Researchers per million inhabitants in South Africa was 444.16 FTE in 2022, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest researchers per million inhabitants recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 516.54 FTE in 2017.
- What is the lowest researchers per million inhabitants recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 188.03 FTE in 1997.
- How does South Africa rank for researchers per million inhabitants?
- South Africa ranks 76th out of 103 countries with data for 2022.
- Is researchers per million inhabitants rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South 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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About this data
February 2026 Data Release