R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in New Zealand
New Zealand: R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity was 20,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2021. ▲ Rising
R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in New Zealand, 2007–2021
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons (full-time equivalent).
Analysis
The most recent figure for r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in New Zealand is 20,000 Persons (full-time equivalent), measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
That represents a change of up 11.1% on the previous year and up 127.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in New Zealand peaked at 20,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2021 and was at its lowest, 8,100 Persons (full-time equivalent), in 2007.
That places New Zealand 22nd out of 28 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Persons (full-time equivalent) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 8,100 Persons (full-time equivalent) | — |
| 2009 | 8,300 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 8,800 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +6.0% |
| 2013 | 10,100 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +14.8% |
| 2015 | 11,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +8.9% |
| 2017 | 14,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +27.3% |
| 2018 | 15,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +7.1% |
| 2019 | 17,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +13.3% |
| 2020 | 18,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +5.9% |
| 2021 | 20,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) | +11.1% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 20,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) is below the median for high income countries, which is 47,094 Persons (full-time equivalent), 42% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8,200 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 8,100 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 8,300 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 2 |
| 2010s | 12,650 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 8,800 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 17,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 6 |
| 2020s | 19,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 18,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 20,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) | 2 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 19 Norway 30,102 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 20 Ireland 26,571 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 21 Greece 22,628 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 23 Argentina 19,938 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 24 Romania 13,754 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
- 25 Bulgaria 13,227 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
More economy & growth data for New Zealand
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.71 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.37 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 23.86 million BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0001 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 4.48 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 3.61 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 104.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0137 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 677.46 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 27.59 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in New Zealand?
- R&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in New Zealand was 20,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2021, 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 20,000 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2021.
- What is the lowest r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,100 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2007.
- How does New Zealand rank for r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity?
- New Zealand ranks 22nd out of 28 countries with data for 2021.
- Is r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 127.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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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About this data
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.