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Even with the brain drain, Greece makes the world’s top 10 list of smart countries

How smart is your country? You'd be surprised

Newsroom December 7 08:35

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The OECD released a list that ranks countries based on the highest scientists per capita while also tracking new college degrees.

It’s OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2015 found that the following countries ranked the highest as far of the number of scientists per capita is concerned in math, physics, technology and engineering. Results calculate the countries until 2012, and Greece made the top 10 despite the economic crisis that resulted in a huge brain drain.

1. South Korea – 32% had the largest drop from 39% in 2002 despite still making the top of the list.
2. Germany – 31% had the third highest average annual number of STEM graduates.
3. Sweden – 28% is just behind Norway for most computer use at work, including for applications like programming.
4. Finland – 28% – publishes more research about medicine than any other field.
5. France – 27% with most researchers employed by industry rather than government or in academia.
6. Greece – the country that spent just 0.08% of its GDP on research in 2013, one of the lowest portions among developed countries, dropped its STEM degree rate from 28% in 2002 to 26% in 2012 but still made the top 10.
7. Estonia – 26% has one of the highest percentages of female STEM graduates at 41% in 2012.
8. Mexico – moved up from 24% in 2002 to 25% in 2012 despite the abolition of tax exemptions for business incentives in R&D.
9. Austria – 25% – has the second-highest number of working-age PhDs with 6.7 female and 9.1 male doctorate holders per 1,000 people.
10. Portugal – 25% of its students graduate with a STEM degree and has 72% doctorate holders.

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