R&D spending share of GDP in Pakistan

Spending on research and development in Pakistan was equal to 0.16% of GDP in 2023. The value for 2023 is the lowest since 2002.

Measure: Research and development expenditure (UNESCO) Unit: % of GDP Data: 1997 to 2023 Source: World Bank
Pakistan, 2023 0.16% % of GDP
Change from 2021 0percentage points 2021: 0.16%
World, 2023 2.60% Official aggregate
Position in 2023 70th of 84 See the full ranking

R&D spending share of GDP in Pakistan over time

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Pakistan World ×

% 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 PakistanWorld
2023 0.16% 2.60%
2022 – 2.57%
2021 0.16% 2.52%
2020 – 2.46%
2019 0.17% 2.26%
2018 – 2.22%
2017 0.21% 2.14%
2016 – 2.15%
2015 0.22% 2.10%
2014 – 2.09%
2013 0.26% 1.98%
2012 – 2.01%
2011 0.30% 1.98%
2010 – 2.00%
2009 0.40% 2.01%
2008 – 1.98%
2007 0.52% 1.92%
2006 – 1.96%
2005 0.33% 1.95%
2004 – 1.97%
2003 – 2.02%
2002 0.16% 2.03%
2001 0.12% 2.06%
2000 0.10% 2.05%

A dash means no value was published for that period.

In short

  • The previous available figure was 0.16% in 2021, a change of 0 percentage points.
  • Since 2002, when it was 0.16%, the figure has changed by 0 percentage points.
  • Among the 84 countries with data for 2023, Pakistan has the 70th highest value.
  • The figure for the world in 2023 was 2.60%.

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
1997 to 2023 for Pakistan
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