Israel tops OECD in proportion of civilian R&D

Israel tops the OECD in investment in R&D as a percentage of GDP, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported today in its "Selected Data from the New Statistical Abstract of Israel 2012". In 2010, Israel invested 4.3% of GDP in R&D, compared with 3.9% by Finland, 3.6% by South Korea, and over 3% by Sweden, Japan, Denmark, and Switzerland. Iceland, Australia, Austria, the US, Belgium, Germany, and France invested 2-2.9% of GDP on R&D, and the remaining OECD member states invested 0.5-1.9%.

Israel's national expenditure for civilian R&D totaled NIS 38.2 billion in 2011, 1.2% more than in 2010, and accounting for 4.4% of GDP.

Expenditure for civilian R&D by the business sector totaled NIS 30.6 billion in 2011, 5.4% more in current prices than in 2010, and accounting for 80% of the total national expenditure. Higher education institutions accounted for 13% of total expenditure on R&D, the government accounted for 4%, and private non-profit institutions accounted for 3%.

62% of R&D in 20072008 was concentrated in Tel Aviv and Central Districts, 16% in Haifa, 9% in Jerusalem, and the rest in the Northern and Southern districts.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 11, 2012