Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Iran (Islamic Republic of): Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP was 0.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
0.7%
Change on year
down 7.8%
World rank
53rd
of 121 countries
All-time high
0.8%
in 2019
All-time low
0.2%
in 2013
Years of data
15
2001–2021

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Iran (Islamic Republic of), 2001–2021

0.20.40.60.82001201120212001: 0.5022002: 0.4962003: 0.5952004: 0.5052005: 0.6232006: 0.5592008: 0.6462009: 0.2732010: 0.2642012: 0.2942013: 0.2362015: 0.3942017: 0.762019: 0.7882021: 0.727

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

The most recent figure for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Iran (Islamic Republic of) is 0.7%, measured in 2021.

The figure is down 7.8% on the previous year and up 174.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Iran (Islamic Republic of) peaked at 0.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2013.

That places Iran (Islamic Republic of) 53rd out of 121 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Iran (Islamic Republic of), year by year

Annual values for Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%) in Iran (Islamic Republic of), 2001 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2001 0.5%
2002 0.5% -1.3%
2003 0.6% +20.0%
2004 0.5% -15.2%
2005 0.6% +23.4%
2006 0.6% -10.2%
2008 0.6% +15.6%
2009 0.3% -57.8%
2010 0.3% -3.0%
2012 0.3% +11.3%
2013 0.2% -19.8%
2015 0.4% +66.9%
2017 0.8% +92.9%
2019 0.8% +3.7%
2021 0.7% -7.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.5% 0.3% 0.6% 8
2010s 0.5% 0.2% 0.8% 6
2020s 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 1

Countries ranked near Iran (Islamic Republic of)

  1. 50 Kenya 0.8% compare
  2. 51 Bulgaria 0.8% compare
  3. 52 Tunisia 0.7% compare
  4. 54 Uruguay 0.7% compare
  5. 55 Cyprus 0.7% compare
  6. 56 Morocco 0.7% compare

See the full ranking of 143 places →

More economy & growth data for Iran (Islamic Republic of)

All data for Iran (Islamic Republic of) →

Frequently asked questions

What is research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Iran (Islamic Republic of)?
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Iran (Islamic Republic of) was 0.7% in 2021, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp recorded in Iran (Islamic Republic of)?
The highest recorded value was 0.8% in 2019.
What is the lowest research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp recorded in Iran (Islamic Republic of)?
The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2013.
How does Iran (Islamic Republic of) rank for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
Iran (Islamic Republic of) ranks 53rd out of 121 countries with data for 2021.
Is research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Iran (Islamic Republic of)?
Over the last ten years it is up 174.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Iran (Islamic Republic of) data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Iran (Islamic Republic of). Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/research-and-development-expenditure-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/iran-islamic-republic-of/

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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