Denmark vs Norway: Annual patent applications per million people
Denmark
186.11 applications per million people
in 2021
Norway
174.92 applications per million people
in 2021
Denmark rank
13th
Norway rank
15th
Annual patent applications per million people over time
- Denmark
- Norway
How they compare
Denmark currently reports 186.11 applications per million people against 174.92 applications per million people in Norway, a difference of 11.19 applications per million people.
That makes Denmark's figure about 1.1 times Norway's.
The two have swapped places 8 times across 42 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Denmark ahead.
Denmark ranks 13th and Norway ranks 15th of 135 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Denmark averaged higher in 3 and Norway in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Denmark | Norway | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 203.36 applications per million people | 205.48 applications per million people | 2.11 applications per million people | Norway |
| 1990s | 247.98 applications per million people | 254.65 applications per million people | 6.67 applications per million people | Norway |
| 2000s | 312.41 applications per million people | 254.67 applications per million people | 57.74 applications per million people | Denmark |
| 2010s | 254.67 applications per million people | 214.56 applications per million people | 40.11 applications per million people | Denmark |
| 2020s | 201.18 applications per million people | 169.25 applications per million people | 31.93 applications per million people | Denmark |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications per million people, Denmark or Norway?
- Denmark, at 186.11 applications per million people against 174.92 applications per million people in Norway as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications per million people between Denmark and Norway?
- 11.19 applications per million people, with Denmark ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Denmark and Norway?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Denmark and Norway rank globally for annual patent applications per million people?
- Denmark ranks 13th and Norway ranks 15th of 135 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World i, published as Annual patent applications per million people. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.