Estonia vs South Africa: Life science patents granted, by filing office
Estonia
2 patents
in 2023
South Africa
3 patents
in 2023
Estonia rank
43rd
South Africa rank
42nd
Life science patents granted, by filing office over time
- Estonia
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 3 patents against 2 patents in Estonia, a difference of 1 patents.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.5 times Estonia's.
Across all 44 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Estonia ranks 43rd and South Africa ranks 42nd of 70 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Estonia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 patents | 777.7 patents | 777.7 patents | South Africa |
| 1990s | 11.9 patents | 1,100 patents | 1,088 patents | South Africa |
| 2000s | 62.4 patents | 1,283 patents | 1,221 patents | South Africa |
| 2010s | 19.2 patents | 559.6 patents | 540.4 patents | South Africa |
| 2020s | 1.5 patents | 16 patents | 14.5 patents | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life science patents granted, by filing office, Estonia or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 3 patents against 2 patents in Estonia as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by filing office between Estonia and South Africa?
- 1 patents, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Estonia and South Africa?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do Estonia and South Africa rank globally for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- Estonia ranks 43rd and South Africa ranks 42nd of 70 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 filing office. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Patents granted within the fields of medical technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals by filing office. These patents cover a wide range of innovations, such as medical devices, diagnostic methods, genetic engineering techniques, biotechnological processes and new drugs.