R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Italy

Italy: R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity was 200,101 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
200,101 Persons (full-time equivalent)
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
6th
of 28 countries
All-time high
225,056 Persons (full-time equivalent)
in 2019
All-time low
70,725 Persons (full-time equivalent)
in 2005
Years of data
19
2005–2023

R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Italy, 2005–2023

50.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k2005201420232005: 70.7k Persons (full-time equivalent)2006: 80.1k Persons (full-time equivalent)2007: 93.8k Persons (full-time equivalent)2008: 106.6k Persons (full-time equivalent)2009: 109.8k Persons (full-time equivalent)2010: 112.2k Persons (full-time equivalent)2011: 112.5k Persons (full-time equivalent)2012: 120.2k Persons (full-time equivalent)2013: 124.7k Persons (full-time equivalent)2014: 129.3k Persons (full-time equivalent)2015: 136.7k Persons (full-time equivalent)2016: 164.5k Persons (full-time equivalent)2017: 192.0k Persons (full-time equivalent)2018: 218.8k Persons (full-time equivalent)2019: 225.1k Persons (full-time equivalent)2020: 211.8k Persons (full-time equivalent)2021: 198.2k Persons (full-time equivalent)2022: 198.5k Persons (full-time equivalent)2023: 200.1k Persons (full-time equivalent)

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons (full-time equivalent).

Analysis

Italy recorded 200,101 Persons (full-time equivalent) for r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in 2023.

The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 60.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Italy peaked at 225,056 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2019 and was at its lowest, 70,725 Persons (full-time equivalent), in 2005.

That places Italy 6th out of 28 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.

R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Italy, year by year

Annual values for R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity — R&D Personnel (total economy) in Italy, 2005 to 2023.
Year Persons (full-time equivalent) Change
2005 70,725 Persons (full-time equivalent)
2006 80,082 Persons (full-time equivalent) +13.2%
2007 93,760 Persons (full-time equivalent) +17.1%
2008 106,643 Persons (full-time equivalent) +13.7%
2009 109,768 Persons (full-time equivalent) +2.9%
2010 112,212 Persons (full-time equivalent) +2.2%
2011 112,478 Persons (full-time equivalent) +0.2%
2012 120,162 Persons (full-time equivalent) +6.8%
2013 124,736 Persons (full-time equivalent) +3.8%
2014 129,271 Persons (full-time equivalent) +3.6%
2015 136,725 Persons (full-time equivalent) +5.8%
2016 164,471 Persons (full-time equivalent) +20.3%
2017 191,960 Persons (full-time equivalent) +16.7%
2018 218,822 Persons (full-time equivalent) +14.0%
2019 225,056 Persons (full-time equivalent) +2.8%
2020 211,789 Persons (full-time equivalent) -5.9%
2021 198,175 Persons (full-time equivalent) -6.4%
2022 198,522 Persons (full-time equivalent) +0.2%
2023 200,101 Persons (full-time equivalent) +0.8%

Italy compared with similar countries

  • Italy's 200,101 Persons (full-time equivalent) is above the median for high income countries, which is 47,094 Persons (full-time equivalent), 4.2× the median. (26 countries reporting)
  • Italy's 200,101 Persons (full-time equivalent) is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 42,296 Persons (full-time equivalent), 4.7× the median. (20 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 92,195 Persons (full-time equivalent) 70,725 Persons (full-time equivalent) 109,768 Persons (full-time equivalent) 5
2010s 153,589 Persons (full-time equivalent) 112,212 Persons (full-time equivalent) 225,056 Persons (full-time equivalent) 10
2020s 202,147 Persons (full-time equivalent) 198,175 Persons (full-time equivalent) 211,789 Persons (full-time equivalent) 4

Countries ranked near Italy

  1. 3 France 311,701 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  2. 3 United Kingdom 231,234 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  3. 4 Türkiye 190,341 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  4. 4 Chinese Taipei 243,658 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  5. 5 Canada 200,300 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  6. 5 Netherlands 140,132 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  7. 6 Poland 120,514 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  8. 7 Israel 136,441 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  9. 7 Slovenia 11,268 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  10. 8 Spain 134,793 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  11. 9 Australia 91,414 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  12. 9 Croatia 7,201 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare

See the full ranking of 40 places →

More economy & growth data for Italy

All data for Italy →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Italy?
R&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Italy was 200,101 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity recorded in Italy?
The highest recorded value was 225,056 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2019.
What is the lowest r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity recorded in Italy?
The lowest recorded value was 70,725 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2005.
How does Italy rank for r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity?
Italy ranks 6th out of 28 countries with data for 2023.
Is r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity rising or falling in Italy?
Over the last ten years it is up 60.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Italy data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity — R&D Personnel (total economy). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Italy. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-in-the-business-enterprise-sector-by-main-activity-r-and-d-personnel/italy/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity — R&D Personnel (total economy)
Unit
Persons (full-time equivalent)
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
40 places, 587 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

This table presents research and development (R&D) statistics on personnel in the business enterprise sector. Measured in full-time equivalent are the number of total R&D personnel and researchers in the business enterprise sector by industry according to the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) revision 4. Data at the industry level are presented from 2000, first year from which some countries converted their data from ISIC rev.3.1 to the current ISIC rev. 4 classification.