On a global scale, the interest on R&D has been on a constant rise. Even though technological advancement has relatively slowed down after the cold war era, world powers still partition a considerable amount of their income for science. Some sources indicate that experimentation spending is also closely related to the number of patents a country got.

I put together a map of R&D expenditure figures. The combined investment of the US and China is more than what other 70 countries spend. Expected players rank at the top, along with some surprises. Luxembourg, for example, spends about $1250 on R&D, per person. China comes in second for the total spending, while dedicating only 2% of their income. Both per GDP and capita values consider the purchasing power parity scale for currencies. Therefore, currency and buying power differences are mostly negated. In general, Asian countries show slow progress. Given that they preserve this pace; China, Japan and South Korea might actually overcome the US in the near future.

In the US, businesses fuel more than 60% of the R&D efforts and no other country has the corporate base to invigorate such contribution. Due to strong opposition, defense spending has been stagnant in the past decade. Through federal and private funding, US channels the highest amount of money to its research institutes.

Per GDP numbers show a different picture; South Korea, Israel, Japan and the Scandinavian countries are in the lead on this chart. Except for the US and China, it is those developed countries, trying to make the best with what they have. I don’t see a reason why can’t all tread on the 3–4% margin. War? Lack of Infrastructure? Perhaps this infinite cycle itself is the hitch; priorities shift towards basic needs and stay there, due to poverty.

The top 16 countries with the highest per capita spending account for more than the rest combined, as the gap increases to more than 200$ per person. Today, some countries mainly rely on their tech companies as an income source. South Korea, followed by the US and Japan, are the best players when it comes to spending per capita. Without a doubt, all three are the greatest providers in the technology industry.

Source: Wikipedia