India has only 2% of the world researchers
UNESCO defines researchers as ‘professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge, products, processes, methods and systems and also in the management of the projects concerned (Frascati Manual, 2002)’.
The world has nearly 7.1 million researchers (2007).
India has only 2% of the world researchers. At a comparative level, USA has 20%, China 20% and Japan 10% of the researcher population. The Asian region has 41% of the world researchers, a large proportion being in China and Japan. The share of the Asian region has increased due to rise in researcher numbers in China.
There world average of researchers per million inhabitants (research density) in the world is 1063.(2007). Research densities are highest in Japan (5548). China has research density (1071) and India has dismal 136.
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