Denmark vs Switzerland: Annual patent applications

Denmark
1,090
in 2021
Switzerland
1,288
in 2021
Denmark rank
31st
Switzerland rank
29th

Annual patent applications over time

  • Denmark
  • Switzerland
1.0k2.0k3.0k4.0k198020002021

How they compare

Switzerland currently reports 1,288 against 1,090 in Denmark, a difference of 198.

That makes Switzerland's figure about 1.2 times Denmark's.

The two have swapped places 8 times across 42 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Switzerland ahead.

Denmark ranks 31st and Switzerland ranks 29th of 135 countries.

Switzerland has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Denmark Switzerland Difference Ahead
1980s 1,042 3,499 2,457 Switzerland
1990s 1,298 2,678 1,380 Switzerland
2000s 1,692 1,770 77.1 Switzerland
2010s 1,444 1,463 19.1 Switzerland
2020s 1,176 1,336 160.5 Switzerland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher annual patent applications, Denmark or Switzerland?
Switzerland, at 1,288 against 1,090 in Denmark as of 2021.
What is the difference in annual patent applications between Denmark and Switzerland?
198, with Switzerland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Denmark and Switzerland?
42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
How do Denmark and Switzerland rank globally for annual patent applications?
Denmark ranks 31st and Switzerland ranks 29th 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.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
Annual patent applications
Source
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
135 places, 3,804 data points, 1980–2021
Last refreshed