Hong Kong vs Saudi Arabia: Annual patent applications per million people
Hong Kong
54.09 applications per million people
in 2021
Saudi Arabia
45.41 applications per million people
in 2021
Hong Kong rank
35th
Saudi Arabia rank
38th
Annual patent applications per million people over time
- Hong Kong
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
Hong Kong currently reports 54.09 applications per million people against 45.41 applications per million people in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 8.68 applications per million people.
That makes Hong Kong's figure about 1.2 times Saudi Arabia's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 30 shared years of data; in 1989 it was Hong Kong ahead.
Hong Kong ranks 35th and Saudi Arabia ranks 38th of 135 countries.
Hong Kong has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Hong Kong | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.64 applications per million people | 1.18 applications per million people | 1.45 applications per million people | Hong Kong |
| 1990s | 5.34 applications per million people | 2.57 applications per million people | 2.77 applications per million people | Hong Kong |
| 2000s | 17.63 applications per million people | 4.37 applications per million people | 13.26 applications per million people | Hong Kong |
| 2010s | 33.24 applications per million people | 25.53 applications per million people | 7.71 applications per million people | Hong Kong |
| 2020s | 55.32 applications per million people | 43.21 applications per million people | 12.11 applications per million people | Hong Kong |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications per million people, Hong Kong or Saudi Arabia?
- Hong Kong, at 54.09 applications per million people against 45.41 applications per million people in Saudi Arabia as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications per million people between Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia?
- 8.68 applications per million people, with Hong Kong ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia?
- 30 years are reported by both, from 1989 to 2021.
- How do Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia rank globally for annual patent applications per million people?
- Hong Kong ranks 35th and Saudi Arabia ranks 38th 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.