Scientific collaboration is increasingly international. In OECD countries, 27% of scientific publications involved authors from more than one country in 2023, compared with 22% in 2013. The long-term increase is striking: only 2% of scientific papers had authors from more than one country in 1970. These figures measure international co-authorship, not every form of research cooperation.
Contents
Global benchmarks
The OECD’s 2025 Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook reports that 27% of scientific publications in OECD countries involved authors from more than one country in 2023, up from 22% in 2013. The same source records a much lower international share of 2% in 1970. These are OECD-country benchmarks and should not be read as a single uninterrupted global series. OECD, Reconfiguring scientific co-operation in a changing geopolitical environment
UNESCO reports that the worldwide share of scientific publications with international collaboration rose from 22% in 2015 to 24% in 2019. Over the same period, the share increased from 30% to 35% in high-income countries. In low-income countries, international collaboration was much more common: the share changed from 72% in 2015 to 70% in 2019. The low-income figure declined slightly while remaining far above the high-income rate. UNESCO, Science Report 2021
The UNESCO statistical annex provides publication counts for 2017–2019. Worldwide, 7,470,802 publications were recorded, including 1,719,047 with international co-authors, a 23.0% share. Results differed substantially by income group:
| Economy group | Publications | With international co-authors | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-income economies | 4,821,099 | 1,645,560 | 34.1% |
| Upper-middle-income economies | 2,723,887 | 730,323 | 26.8% |
| Lower-middle-income economies | 791,195 | 226,886 | 28.7% |
| Low-income economies | 61,746 | 43,852 | 71.0% |
The low-income result illustrates why collaboration percentages need context. A high international share can coexist with a much smaller total publication base. The 2017–2019 counts and percentages come from UNESCO’s Science Report: The race against time for smarter development, Statistical annex, Table D3. UNESCO, Statistical annex, Table D3
The Americas
The Americas recorded 2,113,353 publications in 2017–2019. Of these, 810,930 involved international co-authors, equal to 38.4%. The United States accounted for 1,580,815 publications and 631,025 internationally co-authored publications, for a 39.9% share. Brazil recorded 213,394 publications, with 72,708 involving international co-authors, or 34.1%. UNESCO, Statistical annex, Table D3
Several smaller publication systems had higher international shares. Chile recorded 33,967 publications and 22,900 with international co-authors, or 67.4%. Colombia recorded 30,772 publications, including 15,707 internationally co-authored publications, or 51.0%. Mexico’s 65,693 publications included 28,969 with international co-authors, a 44.1% share.
Peru recorded 8,098 publications and 5,076 with international co-authors, or 62.7%. Jamaica recorded 909 publications, of which 621 involved international co-authors, or 68.3%. The Dominican Republic recorded 528 publications and 495 with international co-authors, producing the highest listed Americas share at 93.8%. These comparisons cover 2017–2019 and show publication volume and collaboration intensity as different measures.
Europe
Europe recorded 2,665,228 publications in 2017–2019, including 1,071,360 with international co-authors, or 40.2%. The European Union recorded 2,201,694 publications and 995,707 with international co-authors, giving a 45.2% share. UNESCO, Statistical annex, Table D3
Country results varied across Europe. Belgium recorded the highest listed share at 70.7%, with 60,139 internationally co-authored publications out of 85,003. Sweden recorded 72,980 of 106,721 publications with international co-authors, or 68.4%. Austria’s share was 68.0%: 45,141 of 66,429 publications. Denmark recorded 48,862 of 73,298, or 66.7%, while Finland recorded 33,763 of 51,410, or 65.7%.
The Netherlands recorded 98,506 internationally co-authored publications out of 151,043, or 65.2%. Ireland recorded 23,444 of 36,082, or 65.0%, and the United Kingdom recorded 292,039 of 462,349, or 63.2%. France recorded 180,387 of 306,211, or 58.9%; Spain recorded 124,587 of 231,786, or 53.8%; and Germany recorded 242,604 of 452,764, or 53.6%.
| Country or area | Publications | Internationally co-authored | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | 2,201,694 | 995,707 | 45.2% |
| Belgium | 85,003 | 60,139 | 70.7% |
| France | 306,211 | 180,387 | 58.9% |
| Germany | 452,764 | 242,604 | 53.6% |
| United Kingdom | 462,349 | 292,039 | 63.2% |
Other reported European shares were 54.8% for Hungary, based on 16,250 internationally co-authored publications out of 29,641; 50.0% for Italy, based on 148,837 out of 297,923; and 48.0% for the Czech Republic, based on 31,340 out of 65,239. The measurements are UNESCO’s 2017–2019 publication statistics, not current annual estimates.
Africa and Arab States
Africa recorded 249,727 publications in 2017–2019, with 136,020 involving international co-authors, or 54.5%. Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 126,880 publications and 76,142 with international co-authors, giving a 60.0% share. UNESCO, Statistical annex, Table D3
Kenya recorded 8,277 publications, of which 6,910 involved international co-authors, or 83.5%. Ghana recorded 4,644 internationally co-authored publications out of 6,517, or 71.3%. Ethiopia recorded 5,527 of 9,569, or 57.8%. South Africa, the largest listed publication system in this group, recorded 57,905 publications and 32,677 internationally co-authored publications, or 56.4%.
Nigeria recorded 22,937 publications, with 11,096 involving international co-authors, or 48.4%. Egypt recorded 60,368 publications and 31,567 with international co-authors, or 52.3%. Morocco recorded 19,440 publications and 7,208 with international co-authors, or 37.1%. Angola recorded only 342 publications in the period, but 316 involved international co-authors, producing a 92.4% share.
The Arab States listed in the table also show high international participation. Saudi Arabia recorded 65,785 publications and 49,817 with international co-authors, or 75.7%. The United Arab Emirates recorded 17,855 publications and 12,664 with international co-authors, or 70.9%. These percentages describe the share of publications with international co-authors; they do not measure the number, depth, or duration of research partnerships.
Asia
Asia recorded 3,454,766 publications in 2017–2019, including 823,669 with international co-authors, or 23.8%. Central Asia recorded 14,110 publications and 8,590 with international co-authors, giving a 60.9% share. UNESCO, Statistical annex, Table D3
China recorded 1,726,674 publications, the largest country total listed for Asia, with 386,326 involving international co-authors, or 22.4%. India recorded 445,690 publications and 80,425 with international co-authors, or 18.0%. Japan recorded 360,578 publications, including 107,423 with international co-authors, or 29.8%. The Republic of Korea recorded 233,243 publications and 66,450 with international co-authors, or 28.5%.
Other Asian systems had higher shares. Singapore recorded 38,842 internationally co-authored publications out of 57,033, or 68.1%. Viet Nam recorded 16,854 of 24,399, or 69.1%. Pakistan recorded 29,686 of 55,967, or 53.0%, while Malaysia recorded 35,117 of 85,134, or 41.2%.
The contrast between China, India, Singapore, and Viet Nam demonstrates how a large publication volume does not automatically produce the highest international share. Counts indicate scale; percentages indicate the prevalence of cross-border co-authorship within each publication system.
Oceania
Oceania recorded 275,869 publications in 2017–2019, with 165,658 involving international co-authors, or 60.0%. Australia recorded 244,515 publications and 148,223 internationally co-authored publications, giving a 60.6% share. New Zealand recorded 37,482 publications, including 23,799 with international co-authors, or 63.5%. UNESCO, Statistical annex, Table D3
Across these benchmarks, international collaboration is common but unevenly distributed. The OECD trend shows growth from 1970 through 2023, while UNESCO’s regional and country comparisons show why interpretation requires both the publication total and the internationally co-authored share. The figures refer to the stated measurement periods and should not be treated as forecasts or as independently verified updates beyond those source publications.