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

Denmark
3.0%
in 2023
Iceland
2.6%
in 2023
Denmark rank
12th
Iceland rank
15th

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP over time

  • Denmark
  • Iceland
0123200020112023

How they compare

Denmark currently reports 3.0% against 2.6% in Iceland, a difference of 0.4%.

That makes Denmark's figure about 1.2 times Iceland's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 21 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Iceland ahead.

Denmark ranks 12th and Iceland ranks 15th of 121 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Denmark averaged higher in 2 and Iceland in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Denmark Iceland Difference Ahead
2000s 2.5% 2.7% 0.2% Iceland
2010s 3.0% 2.1% 0.9% Denmark
2020s 2.9% 2.6% 0.3% Denmark

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp, Denmark or Iceland?
Denmark, at 3.0% against 2.6% in Iceland as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp between Denmark and Iceland?
0.4%, with Denmark ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Denmark and Iceland?
21 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do Denmark and Iceland rank globally for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
Denmark ranks 12th 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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Denmark vs Iceland: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/denmark/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