China vs Iceland: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

China
2.6%
in 2023
Iceland
2.6%
in 2023
China rank
16th
Iceland rank
15th

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP over time

  • China
  • Iceland
11.522.53200020112023

How they compare

Iceland currently reports 2.6% against 2.6% in China, a difference of 0.0%.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 21 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Iceland ahead.

China ranks 16th and Iceland ranks 15th of 121 countries.

Iceland has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade China Iceland Difference Ahead
2000s 1.2% 2.7% 1.5% Iceland
2010s 2.0% 2.1% 0.1% Iceland
2020s 2.5% 2.6% 0.2% Iceland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp, China or Iceland?
Iceland, at 2.6% against 2.6% in China as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp between China and Iceland?
0.0%, with Iceland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Iceland?
21 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do China and Iceland rank globally for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
China ranks 16th and Iceland ranks 15th of 121 countries.
Where does this data come from?
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs Iceland: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/china/iceland/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
143 places, 2,753 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed