R&D spending share of GDP in Denmark

Spending on research and development in Denmark was equal to 3.05% of GDP in 2023. The value for 2023 is the highest since 2016.

Measure: Research and development expenditure (UNESCO) Unit: % of GDP Data: 1996 to 2023 Source: World Bank
Denmark, 2023 3.05% % of GDP
Change from 2022 +0.18percentage points 2022: 2.87%
European Union, 2023 2.26% Official aggregate
Median of European Union (27 countries), 2023 1.56% Middle value of 27 countries
Position in 2023 12th of 84 See the full ranking

R&D spending share of GDP in Denmark over time

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Denmark European Union ×

% of GDP. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.

Research and development expenditure (UNESCO) (% of GDP), 2000 to 2023
Period DenmarkEuropean Union
2023 3.05% 2.26%
2022 2.87% 2.23%
2021 2.74% 2.24%
2020 2.97% 2.28%
2019 2.91% 2.21%
2018 2.98% 2.17%
2017 2.94% 2.14%
2016 3.10% 2.10%
2015 3.06% 2.10%
2014 2.92% 2.10%
2013 2.96% 2.08%
2012 2.98% 2.06%
2011 2.94% 2.00%
2010 2.91% 1.96%
2009 3.04% 1.96%
2008 2.76% 1.87%
2007 2.51% 1.79%
2006 2.40% 1.80%
2005 2.39% 1.78%
2004 2.41% 1.79%
2003 2.51% 1.82%
2002 2.44% 1.79%
2001 2.32% 1.82%
2000 2.19% 1.76%

A dash means no value was published for that period.

In short

  • That is a change of +0.18 percentage points from 2.87% in 2022.
  • Since 2013, when it was 2.96%, the figure has changed by +0.09 percentage points.
  • Among the 84 countries with data for 2023, Denmark has the 12th highest value.
  • The figure for the European Union in 2023 was 2.26%.

Source and dates

Original producer
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Distributed by
World Bank, World Development Indicators
Dataset or series code
GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS · dataset details · view at source
Observation period
1996 to 2023 for Denmark
Provider update
8 October 2026
Retrieved
9 November 2026
Published here
9 November 2026
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (per series metadata)
Attribution
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators, original data: UNESCO Institute for Statistics