R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in France

France: R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel was 678,466 Persons in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
678,466 Persons
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
4th
of 30 countries
All-time high
678,466 Persons
in 2023
All-time low
330,044 Persons
in 1989
Years of data
33
1989–2023

R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in France, 1989–2023

0200.0k400.0k600.0k1989200620231989: 330.0k Persons1990: 333.3k Persons1991: 341.8k Persons1992: 356.0k Persons1993: 356.6k Persons1994: 361.7k Persons1995: 365.4k Persons1996: 370.1k Persons1997: 378.7k Persons1998: 381.1k Persons2000: 381.6k Persons2001: 390.6k Persons2002: 409.2k Persons2003: 415.1k Persons2004: 424.6k Persons2005: 429.4k Persons2006: 452.9k Persons2007: 447.4k Persons2008: 472.0k Persons2009: 478.9k Persons2010: 523.6k Persons2011: 542.4k Persons2012: 565.9k Persons2013: 575.4k Persons2014: 595.5k Persons2015: 604.7k Persons2016: 599.2k Persons2017: 618.6k Persons2018: 630.4k Persons2020: 665.6k Persons2021: 671.5k Persons2022: 672.5k Persons2023: 678.5k Persons

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.

Analysis

In 2023, r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in France stood at 678,466 Persons. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 17.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in France peaked at 678,466 Persons in 2023 and was at its lowest, 330,044 Persons, in 1989.

That places France 4th out of 30 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.

R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in France, year by year

Annual values for R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel (total economy) in France, 1989 to 2023.
Year Persons Change
1989 330,044 Persons
1990 333,278 Persons +1.0%
1991 341,838 Persons +2.6%
1992 355,987 Persons +4.1%
1993 356,584 Persons +0.2%
1994 361,695 Persons +1.4%
1995 365,424 Persons +1.0%
1996 370,083 Persons +1.3%
1997 378,678 Persons +2.3%
1998 381,098 Persons +0.6%
2000 381,609 Persons +0.1%
2001 390,631 Persons +2.4%
2002 409,167 Persons +4.7%
2003 415,061 Persons +1.4%
2004 424,588 Persons +2.3%
2005 429,387 Persons +1.1%
2006 452,924 Persons +5.5%
2007 447,391 Persons -1.2%
2008 471,975 Persons +5.5%
2009 478,857 Persons +1.5%
2010 523,648 Persons +9.4%
2011 542,447 Persons +3.6%
2012 565,912 Persons +4.3%
2013 575,351 Persons +1.7%
2014 595,463 Persons +3.5%
2015 604,703 Persons +1.6%
2016 599,246 Persons -0.9%
2017 618,612 Persons +3.2%
2018 630,401 Persons +1.9%
2020 665,614 Persons +5.6%
2021 671,495 Persons +0.9%
2022 672,526 Persons +0.2%
2023 678,466 Persons +0.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 330,044 Persons 330,044 Persons 330,044 Persons 1
1990s 360,518 Persons 333,278 Persons 381,098 Persons 9
2000s 430,159 Persons 381,609 Persons 478,857 Persons 10
2010s 583,976 Persons 523,648 Persons 630,401 Persons 9
2020s 672,025 Persons 665,614 Persons 678,466 Persons 4

Countries ranked near France

  1. 1 Japan 1.32 million Persons compare
  2. 2 Germany 1.17 million Persons compare
  3. 3 Russian Federation 679,333 Persons compare
  4. 3 United Kingdom 739,816 Persons compare
  5. 4 Türkiye 418,603 Persons compare
  6. 5 Poland 326,075 Persons compare
  7. 5 Italy 518,829 Persons compare
  8. 6 Netherlands 260,716 Persons compare
  9. 6 Spain 431,848 Persons compare
  10. 7 Chinese Taipei 388,265 Persons compare

See the full ranking of 42 places →

More reference data data for France

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in France?
R&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel in France was 678,466 Persons in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel recorded in France?
The highest recorded value was 678,466 Persons in 2023.
What is the lowest r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel recorded in France?
The lowest recorded value was 330,044 Persons in 1989.
How does France rank for r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel?
France ranks 4th out of 30 countries with data for 2023.
Is r&d personnel by sector of performance and function — r&d personnel rising or falling in France?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this France data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel (total economy). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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R&D personnel by sector of performance and function — R&D Personnel in France. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-by-sector-of-performance-and-function-r-and-d-personnel-total-economy/france/

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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).