Italy vs Spain: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

Italy
1.4%
in 2023
Spain
1.5%
in 2023
Italy rank
37th
Spain rank
33rd

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP over time

  • Italy
  • Spain
00.511.5200020112023

How they compare

Spain currently reports 1.5% against 1.4% in Italy, a difference of 0.1%.

That makes Spain's figure about 1.1 times Italy's.

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

Italy ranks 37th and Spain ranks 33rd of 121 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Italy averaged higher in 1 and Spain in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Italy Spain Difference Ahead
2000s 1.1% 1.1% 0.0% Spain
2010s 1.3% 1.3% 0.1% Italy
2020s 1.4% 1.4% 0.0% Spain

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp, Italy or Spain?
Spain, at 1.5% against 1.4% in Italy as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp between Italy and Spain?
0.1%, with Spain ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Italy and Spain?
24 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
How do Italy and Spain rank globally for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
Italy ranks 37th and Spain ranks 33rd 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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Italy vs Spain: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 09 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/italy/spain/

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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