Hong Kong, China vs South Africa: Patent applications to the EPO by priority year by international

Hong Kong, China
13.58 Number
in 2013
South Africa
16.34 Number
in 2013
Hong Kong, China rank
44th
South Africa rank
42nd

Patent applications to the EPO by priority year by international over time

  • Hong Kong, China
  • South Africa
010203040197819952013

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 16.34 Number against 13.58 Number in Hong Kong, China, a difference of 2.76 Number.

That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Hong Kong, China's.

Across all 35 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.

Hong Kong, China ranks 44th and South Africa ranks 42nd of 60 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Hong Kong, China South Africa Difference Ahead
1970s 1 Number 5.5 Number 4.5 Number South Africa
1980s 3.46 Number 12.72 Number 9.26 Number South Africa
1990s 10.42 Number 22.51 Number 12.09 Number South Africa
2000s 13.44 Number 30.62 Number 17.18 Number South Africa
2010s 8.9 Number 25.27 Number 16.36 Number South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher patent applications to the epo by priority year by international, Hong Kong, China or South Africa?
South Africa, at 16.34 Number against 13.58 Number in Hong Kong, China as of 2013.
What is the difference in patent applications to the epo by priority year by international between Hong Kong, China and South Africa?
2.76 Number, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Hong Kong, China and South Africa?
35 years are reported by both, from 1979 to 2013.
How do Hong Kong, China and South Africa rank globally for patent applications to the epo by priority year by international?
Hong Kong, China ranks 44th and South Africa ranks 42nd of 60 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Eurostat, published as Patent applications to the EPO by priority year by international patent classification (IPC) sections and classes (1977-2012). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Hong Kong, China vs South Africa: Patent applications to the EPO by priority year by international. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/patent-applications-to-the-epo-by-priority-year-by-international-patent-classification-2/hong-kong-sar-china/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Patent applications to the EPO by priority year by international patent classification (IPC) sections and classes (1977-2012)
Unit
Number
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
67 places, 2,107 data points, 1977–2013
Last refreshed