Iceland vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

Iceland
2.6%
in 2023
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2.7%
in 2023
Iceland rank
15th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
13th

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP over time

  • Iceland
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
0123200020112023

How they compare

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 2.7% against 2.6% in Iceland, a difference of 0.1%.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 21 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Iceland ahead.

Iceland ranks 15th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 13th of 121 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Iceland averaged higher in 1 and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Iceland United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
2000s 2.7% 1.6% 1.1% Iceland
2010s 2.1% 2.2% 0.1% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2020s 2.6% 2.8% 0.2% United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at 2.7% against 2.6% in Iceland as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp between Iceland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
0.1%, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
21 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do Iceland and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
Iceland ranks 15th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 13th 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: 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/united-kingdom/

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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