There is a high concentration of R&D expenditure in Sweden to the counties in which the three largest cities are located: Stockholm county, Västra Götaland county and Skåne county. Together, these counties answered for 73 percent of total intramural R&D expenditure in Sweden during 2021. This concentration has been stable over time, since 2007 these three counties have stood for between 69 and 74 percent of total R&D expenditure.

The most R&D intensive county in 2021 measured as R&D expenditure as a share of GRDP (Gross Regional Domestic Product) was Östergötland county with 6.4 percent. This was a decrease of the county’s R&D intensity compared with 2019 when it was 7 percent. In Västra Götaland county, which ends up in second place, the R&D intensity did instead increase from 5.8 percent in 2019 to 6.1 percent in 2021.

Sweden is among the ten most R&D intensive countries in the world measured as intramural R&D expenditure as a share of GDP. During 2021, Sweden’s R&D expenditure amounted to 3.40 percent of GDP which puts Sweden in fourth place among the members of the OECD. Compared with 2020, Sweden’s R&D intensity decreased by 0.9 percentage points. This means that the US, who’s R&D intensity amounted to 3.46 percent in 2021, has replaced Sweden as the third most R&D intensive country.

More about research and development (R&D) in 2021 is presented in the report Forskning och utveckling regionalt och globalt 2021.