Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in New Zealand

New Zealand: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP was 1.5% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
1.5%
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
30th
of 121 countries
All-time high
1.5%
in 2023
All-time low
1.1%
in 2001
Years of data
12
2001–2023

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in New Zealand, 2001–2023

00.511.52001201220232001: 1.12003: 1.12005: 1.12007: 1.22009: 1.22011: 1.22013: 1.22015: 1.22017: 1.32019: 1.52021: 1.52023: 1.5

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

New Zealand recorded 1.5% for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in 2023. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 34.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in New Zealand peaked at 1.5% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.1%, in 2001.

That places New Zealand 30th out of 121 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%) in New Zealand, 2001 to 2023.
Year Value Change
2001 1.1%
2003 1.1% +4.4%
2005 1.1% -2.5%
2007 1.2% +3.3%
2009 1.2% +7.9%
2011 1.2% -1.5%
2013 1.2% -6.3%
2015 1.2% +6.4%
2017 1.3% +9.8%
2019 1.5% +8.6%
2021 1.5% +1.5%
2023 1.5% +4.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 1.2% 1.1% 1.2% 5
2010s 1.3% 1.2% 1.5% 5
2020s 1.5% 1.5% 1.5% 2

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 27 Portugal 1.7% compare
  2. 28 Ireland 1.6% compare
  3. 29 Poland 1.6% compare
  4. 31 United Arab Emirates 1.5% compare
  5. 32 Greece 1.5% compare
  6. 33 Spain 1.5% compare

See the full ranking of 143 places →

More economy & growth data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in New Zealand?
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp in New Zealand was 1.5% 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 New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 1.5% in 2023.
What is the lowest research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 1.1% in 2001.
How does New Zealand rank for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
New Zealand ranks 30th out of 121 countries with data for 2023.
Is research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 34.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this New Zealand 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 New Zealand. 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/new-zealand/

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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