Iceland vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

Iceland
2.6%
in 2023
Sub-Saharan Africa
0.4%
in 2023
Iceland rank
15th
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
18th

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP over time

  • Iceland
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
0123200020112023

How they compare

Iceland currently reports 2.6% against 0.4% in Sub-Saharan Africa, a difference of 2.2%.

That makes Iceland's figure about 7.0 times Sub-Saharan Africa's.

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

Iceland ranks 15th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 18th of 121 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Iceland Sub-Saharan Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 2.7% 0.3% 2.3% Iceland
2010s 2.1% 0.4% 1.7% Iceland
2020s 2.6% 0.4% 2.2% 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, Iceland or Sub-Saharan Africa?
Iceland, at 2.6% against 0.4% in Sub-Saharan Africa as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp between Iceland and Sub-Saharan Africa?
2.2%, with Iceland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and Sub-Saharan Africa?
21 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do Iceland and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
Iceland ranks 15th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 18th 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 Sub-Saharan Africa: 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/sub-saharan-africa/

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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