Trinidad and Tobago R&D Spending
Research and development expenditure as % of GDP GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS
Trinidad and Tobago's r&d spending was 0.03% in 2025, ranked 77th globally. This represents a 47.7% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Trinidad and Tobago's r&d spending stood at 0.03% in 2025, a decline of +0.02% from 2022. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 0.03% by 2025. Trinidad and Tobago ranked 77th globally.
Trinidad and Tobago’s gross domestic expenditure on research and development (R&D) has contracted sharply over the 28‑year series, falling from 0.10 percent of GDP in 1996 to an all‑time trough of 0.03 percent in 2025, the lowest level among 77 economies tracked by the World Bank. The indicator peaked at 0.13 percent in 2002, indicating that the early 2000s were the only period when R&D intensity exceeded one‑tenth of a percent. By contrast, peer economies such as the Kyrgyz Republic recorded 0.05 percent in the same year, while Mongolia and Kuwait each posted 0.09 percent, underscoring the relative weakness of Trinidad and Tobago’s research investment. The sustained decline suggests limited fiscal prioritisation of innovation and a possible mismatch between private sector capacity and public funding. Reversing this trajectory will likely require a concerted policy push to increase R&D incentives, strengthen university‑industry linkages and allocate a higher share of the national budget to science and technology.
Data & projection
| Year | R&D Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* trend | 0.03% | - | - |
| 2025 | 0.03% | −0.02% | #77 |
| 2022 | 0.05% | −0.01% | #76 |
| 2021 | 0.05% | −0.01% | #84 |
| 2020 | 0.07% | +0.01% | #85 |
| 2019 | 0.06% | −0.02% | #94 |
| 2018 | 0.08% | −0.00% | #86 |
| 2017 | 0.09% | −0.00% | #89 |
| 2016 | 0.09% | +0.01% | #85 |
| 2015 | 0.08% | +0.00% | #98 |
| 2014 | 0.08% | +0.02% | #88 |
| 2013 | 0.05% | +0.01% | #92 |
| 2012 | 0.04% | +0.00% | #85 |
| 2011 | 0.04% | −0.01% | #89 |
| 2010 | 0.05% | −0.01% | #90 |
| 2009 | 0.06% | +0.03% | #89 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Trinidad and Tobago matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2014. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw r&d spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Trinidad and Tobago's r&d spending was 0.03% in 2025. Ranked 77th globally. This represents a 47.7% decrease from the previous year.
Trinidad and Tobago's r&d spending peaked at 0.13% in 2002.
The lowest r&d spending in Trinidad and Tobago was 0.03% in 2025.
Trinidad and Tobago ranks 77th globally in r&d spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is GB.XPD.RSDV.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Trinidad and Tobago's r&d spending is projected to reach 0.03% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The r&d spending of Trinidad and Tobago in 2025 was 0.03%. This ranks 77th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_trinidad-and-tobago_rd-spending,
title = {Trinidad and Tobago R&D Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/trinidad-and-tobago/rd-spending/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}