Iran vs North Korea: Annual patent applications
Iran
10,210
in 2021
North Korea
6,937
in 2020
Iran rank
11th
North Korea rank
13th
Annual patent applications over time
- Iran
- North Korea
How they compare
Iran currently reports 10,210 against 6,937 in North Korea, a difference of 3,273.
That makes Iran's figure about 1.5 times North Korea's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 11 shared years of data; in 2005 it was North Korea ahead.
Iran ranks 11th and North Korea ranks 13th of 135 countries.
Iran has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iran | North Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8,213 | 6,753 | 1,460 | Iran |
| 2010s | 12,000 | 7,941 | 4,059 | Iran |
| 2020s | 11,396 | 6,937 | 4,459 | Iran |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications, Iran or North Korea?
- Iran, at 10,210 against 6,937 in North Korea as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications between Iran and North Korea?
- 3,273, with Iran ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iran and North Korea?
- 11 years are reported by both, from 2005 to 2020.
- How do Iran and North Korea rank globally for annual patent applications?
- Iran ranks 11th and North Korea ranks 13th 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.