Norway vs South Africa: R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel

Norway
98,010 Persons
in 2023
South Africa
89,604 Persons
in 2023
Norway rank
17th
South Africa rank
20th

R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel over time

  • Norway
  • South Africa
20.0k40.0k60.0k80.0k100.0k198320032023

How they compare

Norway currently reports 98,010 Persons against 89,604 Persons in South Africa, a difference of 8,406 Persons.

That makes Norway's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

The two have swapped places 5 times across 25 shared years of data; in 1985 it was South Africa ahead.

Norway ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 20th of 30 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Norway averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Norway South Africa Difference Ahead
1980s 27,272 Persons 37,039 Persons 9,767 Persons South Africa
1990s 32,514 Persons 33,993 Persons 1,480 Persons South Africa
2000s 56,458 Persons 53,928 Persons 2,530 Persons Norway
2010s 75,352 Persons 72,650 Persons 2,702 Persons Norway
2020s 94,808 Persons 85,556 Persons 9,252 Persons Norway

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel, Norway or South Africa?
Norway, at 98,010 Persons against 89,604 Persons in South Africa as of 2023.
What is the difference in r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel between Norway and South Africa?
8,406 Persons, with Norway ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Norway and South Africa?
25 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2023.
How do Norway and South Africa rank globally for r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel?
Norway ranks 17th and South Africa ranks 20th of 30 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel (total economy). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Norway vs South Africa: R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/r-and-d-personnel-by-sector-of-performance-and-function-r-and-d-personnel-total-economy/norway/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel (total economy)
Unit
Persons
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
42 places, 1,049 data points, 1981–2024
Last refreshed

This table contains research and development (R&D) personnel statistics. Number of R&D personnel is provided in both headcounts and full-time equivalent on R&D by sex, sector of employment (business enterprise, government, higher education, and private non-profit) and by function (researchers, technicians and other support staff).