Information services provider Thomson Reuters, US, has released a study according to which South Africa is the outstanding research leader on the African continent. It has by far the greatest research output of any country, well ahead of Egypt in second place and Nigeria in third.
The study, Global Research Report: Africa, found a relatively high representation of African research - as a share of world publications - in fields that are relevant to natural resources. South Africa's 1.55 percent share of research in Plant & Animal Science is the continent's biggest share in any field. This output surpasses Russia's 1.17 percent but is well behind China's 5.42 percent share in the same field.
The report notes that despite Nigeria's high-volume output, it is not producing as much research as would be expected given the size of its economy. Nigeria's global reach is marked by its research collaboration with China. It is also well-positioned to extend its links westward and partner with the emerging Brazilian research base.
According to the report, there is a marked interaction between researchers in the countries in North Africa which share both language and culture. The African continent's historical ties to France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK ensure a high level of external input and links to European research programmes. At the same time, new links to Saudi Arabia and Japan provide the opportunity for participation in emerging networks in those countries.
The study is part of the Global Research Report series from Thomson Reuters that illustrates the changing landscape and dynamics of scientific research around the world. These studies draw on data found in Web of Science, available on the Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge platform.
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