Germany vs United States: Annual patent applications
Germany
39,822
in 2021
United States
262,244
in 2021
Germany rank
5th
United States rank
2nd
Annual patent applications over time
- Germany
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 262,244 against 39,822 in Germany, a difference of 222,422.
That makes United States's figure about 6.6 times Germany's.
Across all 42 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.
Germany ranks 5th and United States ranks 2nd of 135 countries.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Germany | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 31,188 | 66,380 | 35,191 | United States |
| 1990s | 38,978 | 111,226 | 72,248 | United States |
| 2000s | 48,692 | 203,253 | 154,561 | United States |
| 2010s | 47,306 | 277,921 | 230,615 | United States |
| 2020s | 41,041 | 265,915 | 224,874 | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications, Germany or United States?
- United States, at 262,244 against 39,822 in Germany as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications between Germany and United States?
- 222,422, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and United States?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Germany and United States rank globally for annual patent applications?
- Germany ranks 5th 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.