France vs Germany: Annual patent applications
France
13,386
in 2021
Germany
39,822
in 2021
France rank
8th
Germany rank
5th
Annual patent applications over time
- France
- Germany
How they compare
Germany currently reports 39,822 against 13,386 in France, a difference of 26,436.
That makes Germany's figure about 3.0 times France's.
Across all 42 years both countries report, Germany has been ahead every year.
France ranks 8th and Germany ranks 5th of 135 countries.
Germany has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | France | Germany | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 11,704 | 31,188 | 19,485 | Germany |
| 1990s | 12,810 | 38,978 | 26,168 | Germany |
| 2000s | 14,096 | 48,692 | 34,596 | Germany |
| 2010s | 14,447 | 47,306 | 32,859 | Germany |
| 2020s | 13,078 | 41,041 | 27,962 | Germany |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications, France or Germany?
- Germany, at 39,822 against 13,386 in France as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications between France and Germany?
- 26,436, with Germany ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for France and Germany?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do France and Germany rank globally for annual patent applications?
- France ranks 8th and Germany ranks 5th 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.