The United States Continues to Lead High-Impact Scientific Publications by Far; China, India, South Africa and Türkiye Catching Up

When it comes to true scientific influence and eminence, the number of papers a researcher or institution publishes only tells part of the story. The real measure lies in the quality and far-reaching impact of the scientific contributions, especially those that drive innovation and progress across entire economies.

To capture the true weight of a country’s scientific output, the Global Innovation Index (GII) incorporates the h-index—a metric that balances both the quantity and quality of academic publications. What matters is not simply publishing more but producing work that resonates and is widely cited.

So, which countries are leading the way in high-impact science? And how has the global research landscape evolved in recent years?

Who leads in high-quality science?

In 2024, the United States remains firmly in first place in terms of the quality of scientific publications. What’s more, this US leadership is on the rise with its average h-index increasing from 1,783 in 2016 to 3,213 in 2024. The United Kingdom and Germany take second and third positions, both also showing strong growth in their average h-index since 2016.

Average h-index of selected economies, 2016-2024

Source: Authors based on SCImago.

Canada climbed from 5th in 2016 to 4th place in 2024 too, while France has slipped one rank to 5th. Among the top 10, Australia shows a striking improvement, jumping from 10th in 2016 to 6th in 2024, with its average h-index more than doubling.

Top 10 economies ranked by average h-index in 2024, with comparison to 2016

Source: Authors based on SCImago.

These shifts suggest that while most high-income economies continue to have the most effective and efficient research systems, the relative dynamics within the group are shifting in subtle but important ways.

Top 10 economies in 2024 by of average h-index, 2016-2024

Source: Authors based on SCImago.

Emerging economies rising fast: China in lead, followed by India, Brazil, South Africa and Türkiye

Emerging economies are steadily making their mark, rising in both research quality and scientific impact.

Among middle-income economies, China stands out as a major force in global science. It has risen from 14th place in 2016 to 8th in 2024 globally, with its average h-index nearly tripling. It is the only non-high-income economy in the global top 10.

India is steadily advancing on the global stage, rising from 21st to 19th place in the rankings for high-impact scientific output, with its average h-index more than doubling. It is consistently the only lower-middle income economy in the top 40 economies by average h-index, marking a strong performance in research influence.

Brazil (24th) and South Africa (32nd) have consistently held the 3rd and 4th highest average h-index values among middle-income economies since 2016. Türkiye, which ranks 34th globally, has also improved its position within this income group, moving from 7th in 2016 to 5th in 2024, alongside a continued rise in its average h-index.

Some countries are gaining visibility by steadily improving both their average h-index and global rank. Malaysia is showing impressive progress, climbing from 46th place in 2016 to 39th in 2024 in the global ranking of high-impact science. Argentina and Thailand have improved their average h-index values since 2016, despite slipping slightly in the most recent h-index rankings. These shifts reflect how nascent research systems are becoming more connected to the global scientific community, with stronger links to international citation networks and greater recognition for their contributions.

Top 10 middle-income economies ranked by average h-index in 2024, with comparison to 2016

Source: Authors based on SCImago.

Regional patterns: Europe continues to stand strong, and Asia is rising

The 2024 average h-index rankings reveal both the breadth and concentration of scientific impact worldwide. Europe leads the way, with 35 economies in the top 100 and 25 in the top 50, underscoring its deep and widespread research capacity. Meanwhile, South East Asia, East Asia, and Oceania also show strong performance, contributing 14 economies to the top 100—10 of which rank in the top 50. The region is led by Australia and China’s top 10 positions and further supported by high-ranking economies such as Japan (11th), the Republic of Korea (16th) and Singapore (22nd).

The two Northern American economies—the United States and Canada—both score exceptionally high in the h-index, in both 2016 and 2024, with the United States consistently ranking first worldwide.

Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Northern Africa and Western Asia, each have over a dozen economies in the global top 100, though fewer in the top 50. In Latin America and the Caribbean, Brazil ranks 24th, followed by Mexico (35th) and Argentina (38th). In Northern Africa and Western Asia, Türkiye ranks 34th and Saudi Arabia 37th. Sub-Saharan Africa counts 11 economies in the top 100, with one economy from the region -South Africa (32nd)- appearing in the top 50. Central and Southern Asia show a more balanced representation, with 7 economies in the top 100 and 3 in the top 50, reflecting steady improvements in research visibility across the region.

Regional Distribution of Economies in the Top 100 and Top 50 by Average H-Index, 2024

Source: Authors based on SCImago.

Progress in research visibility across low-income economies: Ethiopia, Uganda and Malawi in top global 100

Selected low-income economies continue to gain research visibility too. In 2024, three of them - Ethiopia (77th), Uganda (79th), and Malawi (95th) - appear in the global top 100 for average h-index. These developments reflect ongoing efforts to strengthen research capacity in lower-income economies, with tangible progress beginning to emerge in several cases.

Top 10 lower-income economies ranked by average h-index in 2024, with comparison to 2016

Source: Authors based on SCImago.

Background

The GII includes a pillar on Knowledge and Technology Outputs, featuring indicators such as citable documents and the h-index (indicator 6.1.5 in the GII). WIPO collaborates with SCImago, SJR SCImago Journal & Country Rank, a widely used bibliometric database, to track trends in scientific output and research impact across economies. You can check GII2024 individual GII country profiles, for the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, the People’s Republic of China, India, Brazil and others. For more information, visit the GII webpage and SJR SCImago Journal & Country Rank.

The h-index measures both the quantity and quality of scientific publications. When applied at the country level, the h-index provides a straightforward metric for gauging national research output and influence. It rewards countries that produce a consistent volume of well-cited research, offering a balance between productivity and scientific impact. This makes it especially useful for identifying countries with robust, globally recognized research ecosystems.

However, like all indicators, the h-index has limitations. When used at the country level, it inherently favors larger countries with more researchers and institutions, potentially masking the per-capita research efficiency or quality of smaller nations. Additionally, the metric does not account for disciplinary differences—fields with slower citation rates may undervalue impactful research. The h-index is also insensitive to highly cited landmark papers once the threshold is met, potentially underrepresenting groundbreaking contributions.

Despite these limitations, the h-index remains a valuable tool for assessing research impact at the national level. Its adaptability—from individual researchers to entire economies—and its ability to capture both the productivity and influence of scientific output make it a meaningful indicator in a global context where innovation and knowledge production are key drivers of economic and social progress.