Finland vs Germany: Annual patent applications per million people
Finland
281 applications per million people
in 2021
Germany
478.65 applications per million people
in 2021
Finland rank
7th
Germany rank
5th
Annual patent applications per million people over time
- Finland
- Germany
How they compare
Germany currently reports 478.65 applications per million people against 281 applications per million people in Finland, a difference of 197.65 applications per million people.
That makes Germany's figure about 1.7 times Finland's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 42 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Germany ahead.
Finland ranks 7th and Germany ranks 5th of 135 countries.
Germany has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Finland | Germany | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 351.59 applications per million people | 399.3 applications per million people | 47.72 applications per million people | Germany |
| 1990s | 437.59 applications per million people | 479.09 applications per million people | 41.5 applications per million people | Germany |
| 2000s | 384.92 applications per million people | 591.49 applications per million people | 206.57 applications per million people | Germany |
| 2010s | 270.34 applications per million people | 579.25 applications per million people | 308.9 applications per million people | Germany |
| 2020s | 284.09 applications per million people | 493.41 applications per million people | 209.32 applications per million people | Germany |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications per million people, Finland or Germany?
- Germany, at 478.65 applications per million people against 281 applications per million people in Finland as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications per million people between Finland and Germany?
- 197.65 applications per million people, with Germany ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Finland and Germany?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Finland and Germany rank globally for annual patent applications per million people?
- Finland ranks 7th and Germany ranks 5th 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) β 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.