Portugal vs South Africa: Life science patents granted, by technology
Portugal
2 patents
in 2023
South Africa
2 patents
in 2023
Portugal rank
52nd
South Africa rank
52nd
Life science patents granted, by technology over time
- Portugal
- South Africa
How they compare
Portugal currently reports 2 patents against 2 patents in South Africa, a difference of 0 patents.
Across all 42 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Portugal ranks 52nd and South Africa ranks 52nd of 65 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Portugal | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 181.1 patents | 464.6 patents | 283.5 patents | South Africa |
| 1990s | 184.4 patents | 572.4 patents | 388 patents | South Africa |
| 2000s | 8.56 patents | 698.56 patents | 690 patents | South Africa |
| 2010s | 4.67 patents | 268.11 patents | 263.44 patents | South Africa |
| 2020s | 5.5 patents | 8.25 patents | 2.75 patents | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life science patents granted, by technology, Portugal or South Africa?
- Portugal, at 2 patents against 2 patents in South Africa as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by technology between Portugal and South Africa?
- 0 patents, with Portugal ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Portugal and South Africa?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do Portugal and South Africa rank globally for life science patents granted, by technology?
- Portugal ranks 52nd and South Africa ranks 52nd of 65 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Life science patents granted, by technology. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Number of pharmaceutical patents granted by the filing office in a given year. Pharmaceutical patents typically cover new drugs, biological treatments or vaccines.