China vs United States: Annual patent applications
China
1.43 million
in 2021
United States
262,244
in 2021
China rank
1st
United States rank
2nd
Annual patent applications over time
- China
- United States
How they compare
China currently reports 1.43 million against 262,244 in United States, a difference of 1.16 million.
That makes China's figure about 5.4 times United States's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 37 shared years of data; in 1985 it was United States ahead.
China ranks 1st and United States ranks 2nd of 135 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and United States in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4,213 | 70,949 | 66,736 | United States |
| 1990s | 11,019 | 111,226 | 100,207 | United States |
| 2000s | 101,028 | 203,253 | 102,224 | United States |
| 2010s | 880,661 | 277,921 | 602,740 | China |
| 2020s | 1.39 million | 265,915 | 1.12 million | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications, China or United States?
- China, at 1.43 million against 262,244 in United States as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications between China and United States?
- 1.16 million, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
- 37 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2021.
- How do China and United States rank globally for annual patent applications?
- China ranks 1st and United States ranks 2nd of 135 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Annual patent applications. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.