{"version":1,"asset_type":"statistical_series","data_type":"time_series","slug":"za-researchers-per-million","url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/za-researchers-per-million","html_url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/za-researchers-per-million/","title":"South Africa Researchers in R&D (per Million People) (2022)","description":"South Africa's Researchers in R&D (per Million People): 444.2 per million people in 2022, -2.3% YoY. World Bank (SP.POP.SCIE.RD.P6), 1997–2022.","domain":"papers","category":"AI & Research","keywords":["AI & Research","World Bank","South Africa","2022"],"publisher":"World Bank","frequency":"Annual","geography":"South Africa","temporal_coverage":"1997/2022","unit":"per million people","last_updated":"2026-07-25","last_updated_text":"25 July 2026","data_as_of":"2022","variable_measured":"South Africa Researchers in R&D (per Million People)","license":"https://apiardata.com/data-license","is_accessible_for_free":true,"sources":[{"name":"World Bank","url":"https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.SCIE.RD.P6?locations=ZA"}],"meta":[{"label":"Frequency","value":"Annual"},{"label":"Coverage","value":"1997–2022"},{"label":"Observations","value":"22"},{"label":"Geography","value":"South Africa"},{"label":"Last updated","value":"25 July 2026"}],"kpis":[{"label":"South Africa (2022)","value":"444.2","unit":"per million people","trend":{"direction":"down","value":"-2.3% YoY"}},{"label":"YoY Change","value":"-2.3%","unit":"per million people"},{"label":"Trend","value":"down","unit":""},{"label":"Series length","value":"22","unit":"years of data"}],"series":[{"key":"value","label":"South Africa Researchers in R&D (per Million People)"}],"observation_count":22,"observations":[{"period":"1997","value":188.02634},{"period":"2001","value":299.48395},{"period":"2003","value":292.80758},{"period":"2004","value":367.54743},{"period":"2005","value":351.38625},{"period":"2006","value":373.41244},{"period":"2007","value":384.41697},{"period":"2008","value":381.59248},{"period":"2009","value":384.84932},{"period":"2010","value":359.80904},{"period":"2011","value":381.96714},{"period":"2012","value":400.95517},{"period":"2013","value":430.44849},{"period":"2014","value":427.63838},{"period":"2015","value":466.56084},{"period":"2016","value":481.99586},{"period":"2017","value":516.53674},{"period":"2018","value":500.79079},{"period":"2019","value":479.86558},{"period":"2020","value":459.98774},{"period":"2021","value":454.79773},{"period":"2022","value":444.16298}],"table":{"columns":[{"key":"year","label":"Year"},{"key":"value","label":"per million people"},{"key":"yoyChange","label":"YoY Change"}],"rows":[{"year":"2022","value":"444.2","yoyChange":"-2.3%"},{"year":"2021","value":"454.8","yoyChange":"-1.1%"},{"year":"2020","value":"460.0","yoyChange":"-4.1%"},{"year":"2019","value":"479.9","yoyChange":"-4.2%"},{"year":"2018","value":"500.8","yoyChange":"-3.0%"},{"year":"2017","value":"516.5","yoyChange":"+7.2%"},{"year":"2016","value":"482.0","yoyChange":"+3.3%"},{"year":"2015","value":"466.6","yoyChange":"+9.1%"},{"year":"2014","value":"427.6","yoyChange":"-0.7%"},{"year":"2013","value":"430.4","yoyChange":"+7.4%"},{"year":"2012","value":"401.0","yoyChange":"+5.0%"},{"year":"2011","value":"382.0","yoyChange":"+6.2%"},{"year":"2010","value":"359.8","yoyChange":"-6.5%"},{"year":"2009","value":"384.8","yoyChange":"+0.9%"},{"year":"2008","value":"381.6","yoyChange":"-0.7%"},{"year":"2007","value":"384.4","yoyChange":"+2.9%"},{"year":"2006","value":"373.4","yoyChange":"+6.3%"},{"year":"2005","value":"351.4","yoyChange":"-4.4%"},{"year":"2004","value":"367.5","yoyChange":"+25.5%"},{"year":"2003","value":"292.8","yoyChange":"n/a"}]},"qa":[{"question":"What does this indicator measure?","answer":"This page tracks the number of researchers engaged in R&D per million people in South Africa from 1996 to present. Researcher density is the most internationally comparable measure of scientific human capital. It is published by World Bank and updated annually."},{"question":"How current is this data?","answer":"The most recent observation covers 2022. World Bank typically publishes this series with a lag of several months after the reference period. The series runs 1997–2022 (22 observations)."},{"question":"What is the long-term trend?","answer":"The series peaked at 516.5 per million people in 2017 and reached its lowest recorded value of 188 in 1997. The latest reading of 444.2 in 2022 represents a change of -10.6."}]}