Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

Least Developed Countries (LDCs): Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP was 0.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
0.3%
Change on year
up 0.8%
Rank
8th
of 11 groups
All-time high
0.3%
in 2023
All-time low
0.2%
in 2005
Years of data
24
2000–2023

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 2000–2023

00.10.20.32000201120232000: 0.2092001: 0.2022002: 0.2052003: 0.2022004: 0.1972005: 0.1942006: 0.1972007: 0.1992008: 0.2032009: 0.2122010: 0.2252011: 0.2342012: 0.2432013: 0.2572014: 0.2582015: 0.2632016: 0.2652017: 0.2632018: 0.2582019: 0.2592020: 0.2732021: 0.2732022: 0.2732023: 0.275

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

The most recent figure for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is 0.3%, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.

The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 7.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) peaked at 0.3% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2005.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), year by year

Annual values for Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%) in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 2000 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2000 0.2%
2001 0.2% -3.4%
2002 0.2% +1.3%
2003 0.2% -1.4%
2004 0.2% -2.5%
2005 0.2% -1.3%
2006 0.2% +1.4%
2007 0.2% +1.2%
2008 0.2% +2.1%
2009 0.2% +4.4%
2010 0.2% +5.8%
2011 0.2% +4.2%
2012 0.2% +3.9%
2013 0.3% +5.4%
2014 0.3% +0.6%
2015 0.3% +2.0%
2016 0.3% +0.8%
2017 0.3% -1.0%
2018 0.3% -1.7%
2019 0.3% +0.2%
2020 0.3% +5.6%
2021 0.3% -0.1%
2022 0.3% +0.1%
2023 0.3% +0.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 10
2010s 0.3% 0.2% 0.3% 10
2020s 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 4

Countries ranked near Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

  1. 5 Belgium 3.3% compare
  2. 5 Viet Nam 0.4% compare
  3. 6 Austria 3.3% compare
  4. 6 Democratic Republic of the Congo 0.4% compare
  5. 7 Switzerland 3.2% compare
  6. 8 Germany 3.2% compare
  7. 9 Finland 3.1% compare
  8. 10 Denmark 3.0% compare
  9. 11 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2.7% compare

See the full ranking of 136 places →

More economy & growth data for Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

All data for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) →

Frequently asked questions

What is research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) was 0.3% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp recorded in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
The highest recorded value was 0.3% in 2023.
What is the lowest research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp recorded in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2005.
How does Least Developed Countries (LDCs) rank for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
Least Developed Countries (LDCs) ranks 8th out of 11 groups with data for 2023.
Is research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
Over the last ten years it is up 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 04 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/research-and-development-expenditure-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/least-developed-countries-ldcs/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/research-and-development-expenditure-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/least-developed-countries-ldcs/">Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)</a> — Statizoid

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
136 places, 2,602 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed