Ireland vs Portugal: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

Ireland
1.6%
in 2023
Portugal
1.7%
in 2023
Ireland rank
28th
Portugal rank
27th

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP over time

  • Ireland
  • Portugal
00.511.5200020112023

How they compare

Portugal currently reports 1.7% against 1.6% in Ireland, a difference of 0.1%.

That makes Portugal's figure about 1.1 times Ireland's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Ireland ahead.

Ireland ranks 28th and Portugal ranks 27th of 121 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Ireland averaged higher in 1 and Portugal in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Ireland Portugal Difference Ahead
2000s 1.2% 0.9% 0.3% Ireland
2010s 1.3% 1.4% 0.0% Portugal
2020s 1.3% 1.7% 0.3% Portugal

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp, Ireland or Portugal?
Portugal, at 1.7% against 1.6% in Ireland as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp between Ireland and Portugal?
0.1%, with Portugal ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and Portugal?
24 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do Ireland and Portugal rank globally for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
Ireland ranks 28th and Portugal ranks 27th 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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Ireland vs Portugal: 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/ireland/portugal/

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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