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

Iceland
2.6%
in 2023
Southern Asia
0.6%
in 2023
Iceland rank
15th
Southern Asia rank
15th

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP over time

  • Iceland
  • Southern Asia
0.511.522.53200020112023

How they compare

Iceland currently reports 2.6% against 0.6% in Southern Asia, a difference of 2.0%.

That makes Iceland's figure about 4.6 times Southern Asia's.

Across all 21 years both countries report, Iceland has been ahead every year.

Iceland ranks 15th and Southern Asia ranks 15th of 121 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Iceland Southern Asia Difference Ahead
2000s 2.7% 0.6% 2.0% Iceland
2010s 2.1% 0.6% 1.5% Iceland
2020s 2.6% 0.6% 2.1% 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, Iceland or Southern Asia?
Iceland, at 2.6% against 0.6% in Southern Asia as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp between Iceland and Southern Asia?
2.0%, with Iceland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and Southern Asia?
21 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do Iceland and Southern Asia rank globally for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
Iceland ranks 15th and Southern Asia 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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Iceland vs Southern Asia: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/iceland/southern-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%)
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