Switzerland vs United Kingdom: Annual patent applications per million people
Switzerland
147.97 applications per million people
in 2021
United Kingdom
173.07 applications per million people
in 2021
Switzerland rank
20th
United Kingdom rank
17th
Annual patent applications per million people over time
- Switzerland
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 173.07 applications per million people against 147.97 applications per million people in Switzerland, a difference of 25.1 applications per million people.
That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.2 times Switzerland's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 42 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Switzerland ahead.
Switzerland ranks 20th and United Kingdom ranks 17th of 135 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Switzerland averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Switzerland | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 541.61 applications per million people | 353.27 applications per million people | 188.34 applications per million people | Switzerland |
| 1990s | 384.79 applications per million people | 328.04 applications per million people | 56.74 applications per million people | Switzerland |
| 2000s | 238.65 applications per million people | 313.62 applications per million people | 74.98 applications per million people | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 178.49 applications per million people | 221.58 applications per million people | 43.09 applications per million people | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 154.09 applications per million people | 176.36 applications per million people | 22.27 applications per million people | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications per million people, Switzerland or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 173.07 applications per million people against 147.97 applications per million people in Switzerland as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications per million people between Switzerland and United Kingdom?
- 25.1 applications per million people, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Switzerland and United Kingdom?
- 42 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2021.
- How do Switzerland and United Kingdom rank globally for annual patent applications per million people?
- Switzerland ranks 20th and United Kingdom ranks 17th 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.