Ireland vs South Africa: Life science patents granted, by filing office
Ireland
4 patents
in 2023
South Africa
3 patents
in 2023
Ireland rank
41st
South Africa rank
42nd
Life science patents granted, by filing office over time
- Ireland
- South Africa
How they compare
Ireland currently reports 4 patents against 3 patents in South Africa, a difference of 1 patents.
That makes Ireland's figure about 1.3 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 44 shared years of data; in 1980 it was South Africa ahead.
Ireland ranks 41st 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 | Ireland | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 254.5 patents | 777.7 patents | 523.2 patents | South Africa |
| 1990s | 411.6 patents | 1,100 patents | 688.3 patents | South Africa |
| 2000s | 5.1 patents | 1,283 patents | 1,278 patents | South Africa |
| 2010s | 7.6 patents | 559.6 patents | 552 patents | South Africa |
| 2020s | 4.25 patents | 16 patents | 11.75 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, Ireland or South Africa?
- Ireland, at 4 patents against 3 patents in South Africa as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by filing office between Ireland and South Africa?
- 1 patents, with Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and South Africa?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do Ireland and South Africa rank globally for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- Ireland ranks 41st 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.