High vs low self-citation countries in the Top 2% list (2026 comparison)
Among countries with ≥50 listed scholars, Ukraine’s mean self-citation % is about 27.5% versus about 8.3% for the United States and 6.0% for Ethiopia. ABS Nexora compares the same avg_self_citation_pct metric across cohorts.
How do high and low self-citation countries compare?
Direct answer: Using ABS Nexora’s native country metric avg_self_citation_pct (mean of listed researchers’ self_citation_pct) for the 2026 single-year cohort, and focusing on national cohorts with ≥50 listed scholars, the high end includes Ukraine (~27.47%, n=136), Algeria (~22.60%, n=101), Morocco (~21.94%, n=185), Iraq (~21.53%, n=348), Russian Federation (~20.93%, n=987), and Egypt (~18.73%, n=1,306). The low end includes Ethiopia (~6.00%, n=236), the United States (~8.30%, n=73,459), South Korea (~8.38%, n=3,995), Singapore (~8.49%, n=1,439), and the United Kingdom (~8.60%, n=18,269).
High self-citation cohort (≥50 scholars)
| Rank | Country | Listed scholars | Mean self-citation % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukraine | 136 | 27.47% |
| 2 | Algeria | 101 | 22.60% |
| 3 | Morocco | 185 | 21.94% |
| 4 | Iraq | 348 | 21.53% |
| 5 | Russian Federation | 987 | 20.93% |
| 6 | Egypt | 1,306 | 18.73% |
Low self-citation cohort (≥50 scholars)
| Rank | Country | Listed scholars | Mean self-citation % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ethiopia | 236 | 6.00% |
| 2 | United States | 73,459 | 8.30% |
| 3 | South Korea | 3,995 | 8.38% |
| 4 | Singapore | 1,439 | 8.49% |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 18,269 | 8.60% |
| 6 | Malaysia | 939 | 8.66% |
What jumps out?
- Size ≠ self-cite share. The USA is #1 by listed scholars (73,459) but near the lowest mean self-citation % among large systems (~8.30%).
- Mid-size systems can lead the high cohort. Ukraine (n=136) outranks much larger Egypt (n=1,306) on the average share metric.
- Russia and Egypt are useful “high but large enough” anchors (n near 1,000+) compared with tiny leaderboard entries under the min-5 filter.
- Ethiopia (~6.00%) is the lowest mean among ≥50-scholar countries in this rankings pull — a reminder that low averages also need field-mix context.
Major systems at a glance
| Country | Listed scholars | Mean self-citation % |
|---|---|---|
| Russian Federation | 987 | 20.93% |
| Egypt | 1,306 | 18.73% |
| Italy | 8,537 | 13.54% |
| India | 6,940 | 11.83% |
| Germany | 10,933 | 11.77% |
| China | 35,681 | 9.80% |
| Australia | 8,934 | 9.54% |
| United Kingdom | 18,269 | 8.60% |
| United States | 73,459 | 8.30% |
How to compare countries fairly
- Use the same listing (single-year vs career) and edition year.
- Prefer ≥50 (or higher) cohort floors when storytelling about “high vs low.”
- Open country pages for field mix: /country/ukr, /country/usa, /country/eth, /country/egy.
- Pair with researcher-level views: top self-citing researchers.
Related reading
- Most self-cited countries (leaderboard, min n=5)
- Self-citations vs total citations methodology
- Top countries by listed scholars
FAQ
Which ≥50-scholar country has the highest mean self-citation %? Ukraine (~27.47%) in this 2026 single-year rankings pull.
Which has the lowest? Ethiopia (~6.00%) among countries with ≥50 listed scholars in the same pull.
Where do the USA and China sit? USA ~8.30%, China ~9.80% — both far below the high cohort leaders on this average-share metric.
Is the min-5 leaderboard the same as this ≥50 comparison? Same underlying field (avg_self_citation_pct), different cohort floor. The min-5 list elevates smaller countries such as Uzbekistan and Montenegro.
Can I compare two countries live? Yes — use Directory Analytics compare and country profiles, then verify self-citation views.