Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and source in South Africa

South Africa: Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and source was 5,107 US dollars, PPP converted in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
5,107 US dollars, PPP converted
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
25th
of 34 countries
All-time high
6,125 US dollars, PPP converted
in 2017
All-time low
2,229 US dollars, PPP converted
in 1993
Years of data
29
1983–2023

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and source in South Africa, 1983–2023

02.0k4.0k6.0k1983200320231983: 2.7k US dollars, PPP converted1985: 2.9k US dollars, PPP converted1987: 2.7k US dollars, PPP converted1989: 2.6k US dollars, PPP converted1991: 3.1k US dollars, PPP converted1993: 2.2k US dollars, PPP converted1997: 2.5k US dollars, PPP converted2001: 3.3k US dollars, PPP converted2003: 3.7k US dollars, PPP converted2004: 4.2k US dollars, PPP converted2005: 4.7k US dollars, PPP converted2006: 5.2k US dollars, PPP converted2007: 5.4k US dollars, PPP converted2008: 5.6k US dollars, PPP converted2009: 5.2k US dollars, PPP converted2010: 4.7k US dollars, PPP converted2011: 4.9k US dollars, PPP converted2012: 5.0k US dollars, PPP converted2013: 5.1k US dollars, PPP converted2014: 5.5k US dollars, PPP converted2015: 5.8k US dollars, PPP converted2016: 6.0k US dollars, PPP converted2017: 6.1k US dollars, PPP converted2018: 5.6k US dollars, PPP converted2019: 5.0k US dollars, PPP converted2020: 4.6k US dollars, PPP converted2021: 5.0k US dollars, PPP converted2022: 5.0k US dollars, PPP converted2023: 5.1k US dollars, PPP converted

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in US dollars, PPP converted.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 5,107 US dollars, PPP converted for gross domestic expenditure on r&d by sector of performance and source in 2023.

The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 0.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, gross domestic expenditure on r&d by sector of performance and source in South Africa peaked at 6,125 US dollars, PPP converted in 2017 and was at its lowest, 2,229 US dollars, PPP converted, in 1993.

South Africa ranks 25th of 34 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and source in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and source of funds — Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D (GERD) in South Africa, 1983 to 2023.
Year US dollars, PPP converted Change
1983 2,695 US dollars, PPP converted
1985 2,897 US dollars, PPP converted +7.5%
1987 2,665 US dollars, PPP converted -8.0%
1989 2,635 US dollars, PPP converted -1.1%
1991 3,097 US dollars, PPP converted +17.5%
1993 2,229 US dollars, PPP converted -28.0%
1997 2,478 US dollars, PPP converted +11.2%
2001 3,327 US dollars, PPP converted +34.2%
2003 3,741 US dollars, PPP converted +12.5%
2004 4,202 US dollars, PPP converted +12.3%
2005 4,688 US dollars, PPP converted +11.6%
2006 5,161 US dollars, PPP converted +10.1%
2007 5,375 US dollars, PPP converted +4.1%
2008 5,630 US dollars, PPP converted +4.8%
2009 5,160 US dollars, PPP converted -8.4%
2010 4,700 US dollars, PPP converted -8.9%
2011 4,883 US dollars, PPP converted +3.9%
2012 5,014 US dollars, PPP converted +2.7%
2013 5,092 US dollars, PPP converted +1.6%
2014 5,526 US dollars, PPP converted +8.5%
2015 5,770 US dollars, PPP converted +4.4%
2016 5,955 US dollars, PPP converted +3.2%
2017 6,125 US dollars, PPP converted +2.9%
2018 5,595 US dollars, PPP converted -8.7%
2019 5,014 US dollars, PPP converted -10.4%
2020 4,627 US dollars, PPP converted -7.7%
2021 4,951 US dollars, PPP converted +7.0%
2022 5,041 US dollars, PPP converted +1.8%
2023 5,107 US dollars, PPP converted +1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 2,723 US dollars, PPP converted 2,635 US dollars, PPP converted 2,897 US dollars, PPP converted 4
1990s 2,601 US dollars, PPP converted 2,229 US dollars, PPP converted 3,097 US dollars, PPP converted 3
2000s 4,661 US dollars, PPP converted 3,327 US dollars, PPP converted 5,630 US dollars, PPP converted 8
2010s 5,367 US dollars, PPP converted 4,700 US dollars, PPP converted 6,125 US dollars, PPP converted 10
2020s 4,931 US dollars, PPP converted 4,627 US dollars, PPP converted 5,107 US dollars, PPP converted 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 22 Portugal 7,636 US dollars, PPP converted compare
  2. 23 Argentina 6,914 US dollars, PPP converted compare
  3. 24 Greece 5,832 US dollars, PPP converted compare
  4. 26 Hungary 5,032 US dollars, PPP converted compare
  5. 27 New Zealand 3,937 US dollars, PPP converted compare
  6. 28 Romania 3,236 US dollars, PPP converted compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is gross domestic expenditure on r&d by sector of performance and source in South Africa?
Gross domestic expenditure on r&d by sector of performance and source in South Africa was 5,107 US dollars, PPP converted in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest gross domestic expenditure on r&d by sector of performance and source recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 6,125 US dollars, PPP converted in 2017.
What is the lowest gross domestic expenditure on r&d by sector of performance and source recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 2,229 US dollars, PPP converted in 1993.
How does South Africa rank for gross domestic expenditure on r&d by sector of performance and source?
South Africa ranks 25th out of 34 countries with data for 2023.
Is gross domestic expenditure on r&d by sector of performance and source rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and source of funds — Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D (GERD). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and source in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/gross-domestic-expenditure-on-r-and-d-by-sector-of-performance-and-source-of-funds-gross/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D by sector of performance and source of funds — Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D (GERD)
Unit
US dollars, PPP converted
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
47 places, 1,579 data points, 1981–2025
Last refreshed

This table contains gross research and development (R&D) expenditure statistics broken down by sector of performance (business enterprise, government, higher education, private non-profit, and total intramural) and by source of funds (business enterprise, government - including public general university funds -, higher education, private non-profit and funds from the rest of the World - including funds from enterprises and other funds from the rest of the World).