Russian Federation: Researchers in R&D (per million people)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Russian Federation's researchers in R&D (per million people) fell 14.42 on 2023 (from 2,653 to 2,639).

Across the 27 yearly changes before that (1997 to 2023), the average change was −42.21 and a typical year strayed about 77.53 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 77.21 in 2000 and the biggest yearly fall was 264.98 in 1998. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 44.51 a year. A straight line explains 81% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Russian Federation had the 4th highest value of the 18 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Russian Federation in the 2024 ranking

• Hong Kong SAR, China — 1st of 18: 5,874
• Macao SAR, China — 2nd of 18: 4,634
• Serbia — 3rd of 18: 2,688
• Georgia — 5th of 18: 1,896
• Tunisia — 6th of 18: 1,668
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 7th of 18: 1,120

What this measures

The number of researchers engaged in Research &Development (R&D), expressed as per million. Researchers are professionals who conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories, models techniques instrumentation, software of operational methods. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.

Limitations: Estimates of the resources allocated to R&D are affected by national characteristics such as the periodicity and coverage of national R&D surveys across institutional sectors and industries; and the use of different sampling and estimation methods. R&D typically involves a few large performers, hence R&D surveys use various techniques to maintain up-to-date registers of known performers, while attempting to identify new or occasional performers.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 29 values

Researchers in R&D (per million people) in nearby economies

• Austria — 6,634 (2023)
• Belgium — 5,990 (2023)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 705.16 (2024)
• Bulgaria — 2,401 (2023)
• Croatia — 2,440 (2023)
• Cyprus — 1,686 (2023)
• Czechia — 4,505 (2023)
• Denmark — 8,838 (2023)
• Estonia — 4,800 (2023)
• Finland — 8,315 (2023)

More infrastructure data for Russian Federation

• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 269.52 million (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 186.1 (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 20.82 million (2023)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 14.31 (2023)
• Medium and high-tech exports (% manufactured exports) — 29.84% (2024)
• Individuals using the Internet (% of population) — 94.37% (2024)
• Patent applications, nonresidents — 5,196 (2024)
• Patent applications, residents — 21,502 (2024)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 98.87 million (2023)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Russian Federation's researchers in R&D (per million people)?

2,639 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1996?

It is down 30.43% from 3,793 in 1996 (1.29% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 3,793 in 1996 and the lowest 2,639 in 2024.

How does Russian Federation rank?

4th highest of 18 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in researchers in R&D (per million people) unusual for Russian Federation?

In 2024, Russian Federation's researchers in R&D (per million people) fell 14.42 on 2023 (from 2,653 to 2,639). Across the 27 yearly changes before that (1997 to 2023), the average change was −42.21 and a typical year strayed about 77.53 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SP.POP.SCIE.RD.P6, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources/bulk, publisher: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), date accessed: 2025-03-26, date published: 2025-02 Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.