Researchers per million inhabitants in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa

UIS: Sub-saharan Africa: Researchers per million inhabitants was 86.86 FTE in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
86.86 FTE
Change on year
up 0.7%
Rank
49th
of 50 groups
All-time high
93.03 FTE
in 2017
All-time low
56.1 FTE
in 1997
Years of data
28
1996–2023

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

0204060801001996200920231996: 56.3 FTE1997: 56.1 FTE1998: 58.1 FTE1999: 59.9 FTE2000: 61.7 FTE2001: 64.3 FTE2002: 63.2 FTE2003: 64.2 FTE2004: 69.8 FTE2005: 69.9 FTE2006: 68.5 FTE2007: 66.8 FTE2008: 72.1 FTE2009: 76.2 FTE2010: 78.9 FTE2011: 80.8 FTE2012: 82.2 FTE2013: 84.3 FTE2014: 85.4 FTE2015: 89.5 FTE2016: 90.6 FTE2017: 93 FTE2018: 91.8 FTE2019: 90.2 FTE2020: 88.4 FTE2021: 87.3 FTE2022: 86.2 FTE2023: 86.9 FTE

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in FTE.

Analysis

In 2023, researchers per million inhabitants in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa stood at 86.86 FTE.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 3.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, researchers per million inhabitants in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa peaked at 93.03 FTE in 2017 and was at its lowest, 56.1 FTE, in 1997.

That places UIS: Sub-saharan Africa 49th 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 UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, year by year

Annual values for Researchers per million inhabitants (FTE) in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa, 1996 to 2023.
Year FTE Change
1996 56.26 FTE
1997 56.1 FTE -0.3%
1998 58.07 FTE +3.5%
1999 59.92 FTE +3.2%
2000 61.69 FTE +2.9%
2001 64.28 FTE +4.2%
2002 63.17 FTE -1.7%
2003 64.2 FTE +1.6%
2004 69.8 FTE +8.7%
2005 69.87 FTE +0.1%
2006 68.52 FTE -1.9%
2007 66.79 FTE -2.5%
2008 72.08 FTE +7.9%
2009 76.16 FTE +5.7%
2010 78.88 FTE +3.6%
2011 80.76 FTE +2.4%
2012 82.16 FTE +1.7%
2013 84.32 FTE +2.6%
2014 85.43 FTE +1.3%
2015 89.48 FTE +4.7%
2016 90.61 FTE +1.3%
2017 93.03 FTE +2.7%
2018 91.82 FTE -1.3%
2019 90.18 FTE -1.8%
2020 88.43 FTE -1.9%
2021 87.35 FTE -1.2%
2022 86.22 FTE -1.3%
2023 86.86 FTE +0.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 57.59 FTE 56.1 FTE 59.92 FTE 4
2000s 67.66 FTE 61.69 FTE 76.16 FTE 10
2010s 86.67 FTE 78.88 FTE 93.03 FTE 10
2020s 87.22 FTE 86.22 FTE 88.43 FTE 4

Countries ranked near UIS: Sub-saharan Africa

  1. 46 Georgia 1,896 FTE compare
  2. 47 Cyprus 1,686 FTE compare
  3. 48 Tunisia 1,668 FTE compare
  4. 49 Azerbaijan 1,663 FTE compare
  5. 50 Thailand 1,592 FTE compare
  6. 51 Belarus 1,568 FTE
  7. 52 Argentina 1,313 FTE compare

See the full ranking of 153 places →

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

All data for UIS: Sub-saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is researchers per million inhabitants in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
Researchers per million inhabitants in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa was 86.86 FTE in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest researchers per million inhabitants recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 93.03 FTE in 2017.
What is the lowest researchers per million inhabitants recorded in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 56.1 FTE in 1997.
How does UIS: Sub-saharan Africa rank for researchers per million inhabitants?
UIS: Sub-saharan Africa ranks 49th out of 50 groups with data for 2023.
Is researchers per million inhabitants rising or falling in UIS: Sub-saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this UIS: 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 UIS: 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/uis-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