Annual patent applications by country
Countries reporting
132
Highest
1.43 million
China
Lowest
1
Samoa
Median
106.5
Years covered
42
1980–2021
Data points
3,804
What the numbers show
Annual patent applications is currently reported for 132 countries. The highest value is 1.43 million in China; the lowest is 1 in Samoa.
The median across all reporting countries is 106.5, and the mean is 17,416.
Over the past decade 59 countries rose and 65 fell. The largest increase was in Guyana (up 3,900.0%), and the largest decrease in Nicaragua (down 92.9%).
Annual patent applications: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 1.43 million | 2021 | up 243.1% | volatile |
| 2 | United States | 262,244 | 2021 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 3 | Japan | 222,452 | 2021 | down 22.6% | falling |
| 4 | South Korea | 186,245 | 2021 | up 34.9% | volatile |
| 5 | Germany | 39,822 | 2021 | down 15.2% | rising |
| 6 | India | 26,267 | 2021 | up 197.1% | volatile |
| 7 | Russia | 19,569 | 2021 | down 26.1% | rising |
| 8 | France | 13,386 | 2021 | down 8.7% | rising |
| 9 | United Kingdom | 11,592 | 2021 | down 24.4% | falling |
| 10 | Italy | 10,281 | 2021 | up 16.9% | rising |
| 11 | Iran | 10,210 | 2021 | down 11.4% | volatile |
| 12 | Turkey | 8,234 | 2021 | up 111.9% | volatile |
| 13 | North Korea | 6,937 | 2020 | down 13.5% | rising |
| 14 | Canada | 4,710 | 2021 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 15 | Brazil | 4,666 | 2021 | down 0.6% | rising |
| 16 | Poland | 3,377 | 2021 | down 12.9% | falling |
| 17 | Australia | 2,966 | 2021 | up 24.5% | rising |
| 18 | Netherlands | 2,080 | 2021 | down 19.5% | rising |
| 19 | Singapore | 2,024 | 2021 | up 91.7% | volatile |
| 20 | Austria | 1,872 | 2021 | down 13.1% | flat |
| 21 | South Africa | 1,804 | 2021 | up 175.0% | volatile |
| 22 | Sweden | 1,771 | 2021 | down 11.6% | falling |
| 23 | Israel | 1,592 | 2021 | up 17.1% | rising |
| 24 | Finland | 1,557 | 2021 | down 5.6% | falling |
| 25 | Saudi Arabia | 1,398 | 2021 | up 302.9% | volatile |
| 26 | Indonesia | 1,397 | 2021 | up 162.1% | volatile |
| 27 | Spain | 1,308 | 2021 | down 61.9% | rising |
| 28 | Ukraine | 1,302 | 2021 | down 50.8% | volatile |
| 29 | Switzerland | 1,288 | 2021 | down 19.3% | falling |
| 30 | Mexico | 1,117 | 2021 | up 4.9% | rising |
| 31 | Denmark | 1,090 | 2021 | down 30.7% | rising |
| 32 | Vietnam | 1,066 | 2021 | up 255.3% | volatile |
| 33 | Norway | 946 | 2021 | down 15.7% | rising |
| 34 | Malaysia | 883 | 2021 | down 17.9% | volatile |
| 35 | Egypt | 881 | 2021 | up 42.6% | volatile |
| 36 | Thailand | 867 | 2021 | down 6.5% | volatile |
| 37 | Kazakhstan | 803 | 2020 | down 52.5% | falling |
| 38 | Belgium | 799 | 2021 | up 25.6% | rising |
| 39 | Romania | 772 | 2021 | down 45.8% | volatile |
| 40 | Portugal | 711 | 2021 | up 24.5% | volatile |
| 41 | Iraq | 635 | 2020 | up 89.6% | volatile |
| 42 | Czechia | 541 | 2021 | down 30.9% | rising |
| 43 | Philippines | 490 | 2021 | up 163.4% | volatile |
| 44 | Hungary | 433 | 2021 | down 34.6% | volatile |
| 45 | Colombia | 432 | 2021 | up 136.1% | volatile |
| 46 | Pakistan | 426 | 2021 | up 363.0% | volatile |
| 47 | Uzbekistan | 413 | 2021 | up 46.5% | volatile |
| 48 | Nigeria | 410 | 2020 | up 540.6% | volatile |
| 49 | Argentina | 406 | 2021 | down 41.0% | falling |
| 50 | Chile | 402 | 2021 | up 18.6% | rising |
| 51 | Hong Kong | 401 | 2021 | up 121.5% | volatile |
| 52 | Greece | 394 | 2021 | down 45.4% | volatile |
| 53 | New Zealand | 330 | 2021 | down 78.0% | rising |
| 54 | Belarus | 276 | 2021 | down 84.0% | falling |
| 55 | Algeria | 268 | 2021 | up 185.1% | volatile |
| 56 | Sri Lanka | 266 | 2021 | up 37.1% | volatile |
| 57 | Morocco | 254 | 2021 | up 50.3% | volatile |
| 58 | Slovenia | 222 | 2021 | down 52.8% | rising |
| 59 | Tunisia | 180 | 2018 | up 136.8% | volatile |
| 60 | Bulgaria | 165 | 2021 | down 37.0% | volatile |
| 61 | Kenya | 160 | 2021 | up 18.5% | volatile |
| 62 | Sudan | 153 | 2020 | down 39.3% | volatile |
| 63 | Slovakia | 146 | 2021 | down 34.8% | falling |
| 64 | Serbia | 138 | 2021 | down 23.3% | falling |
| 65 | Azerbaijan | 119 | 2021 | down 38.3% | falling |
| 67 | Mongolia | 109 | 2021 | down 0.9% | rising |
| 68 | Latvia | 104 | 2021 | down 39.9% | falling |
| 69 | Syria | 102 | 2021 | down 48.5% | volatile |
| 70 | Venezuela | 96 | 2017 | up 52.4% | volatile |
| 71 | Peru | 94 | 2021 | up 141.0% | rising |
| 72 | Georgia | 90 | 2021 | down 34.8% | falling |
| 73 | Kyrgyzstan | 83 | 2021 | down 33.1% | falling |
| 74 | Lithuania | 81 | 2021 | down 12.9% | volatile |
| 75 | Croatia | 77 | 2021 | down 66.5% | falling |
| 77 | Bangladesh | 74 | 2021 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 78 | Barbados | 73 | 2021 | up 2,333.3% | volatile |
| 79 | United Arab Emirates | 69 | 2021 | up 109.1% | rising |
| 80 | Moldova | 64 | 2021 | down 34.0% | volatile |
| 81 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 53 | 2021 | up 23.3% | rising |
| 82 | Qatar | 47 | 2021 | up 1,466.7% | volatile |
| 83 | North Macedonia | 42 | 2021 | up 13.5% | falling |
| 84 | Armenia | 40 | 2021 | down 66.9% | falling |
| 84 | Guyana | 40 | 2021 | up 3,900.0% | volatile |
| 86 | Ecuador | 35 | 2021 | up 775.0% | volatile |
| 86 | Panama | 35 | 2021 | up 66.7% | volatile |
| 88 | Iceland | 34 | 2021 | down 32.0% | rising |
| 89 | Mozambique | 30 | 2021 | up 275.0% | volatile |
| 89 | Oman | 30 | 2021 | up 500.0% | volatile |
| 91 | Estonia | 25 | 2021 | down 59.7% | volatile |
| 91 | Jordan | 25 | 2021 | down 37.5% | falling |
| 93 | Albania | 23 | 2021 | up 666.7% | volatile |
| 93 | Uruguay | 23 | 2017 | down 34.3% | falling |
| 95 | Cuba | 21 | 2021 | down 66.1% | volatile |
| 96 | Nepal | 20 | 2017 | up 150.0% | volatile |
| 96 | Yemen | 20 | 2021 | up 185.7% | volatile |
| 98 | Jamaica | 16 | 2021 | down 20.0% | volatile |
| 99 | Costa Rica | 15 | 2021 | up 15.4% | falling |
| 100 | Rwanda | 14 | 2021 | down 65.0% | volatile |
| 100 | Uganda | 14 | 2021 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 102 | Zambia | 13 | 2021 | up 333.3% | volatile |
| 103 | Libya | 12 | 1996 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 104 | Paraguay | 10 | 2021 | down 44.4% | volatile |
| 105 | Guatemala | 9 | 2021 | up 125.0% | volatile |
| 106 | Honduras | 8 | 2018 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 106 | Namibia | 8 | 2019 | — | volatile |
| 106 | Zimbabwe | 8 | 2016 | — | falling |
| 109 | Dominican Republic | 7 | 2021 | down 53.3% | flat |
| 109 | San Marino | 7 | 2021 | down 36.4% | rising |
| 111 | Ethiopia | 6 | 2020 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 111 | Madagascar | 6 | 2021 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 111 | Mauritius | 6 | 2021 | up 500.0% | volatile |
| 114 | Bolivia | 5 | 2021 | down 44.4% | volatile |
| 114 | Monaco | 5 | 2021 | down 16.7% | volatile |
| 114 | Montenegro | 5 | 2020 | down 78.3% | volatile |
| 118 | Bahamas | 4 | 2017 | up 33.3% | flat |
| 119 | Bahrain | 3 | 2021 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 119 | Botswana | 3 | 2021 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 119 | Malawi | 3 | 2016 | — | volatile |
| 122 | Burundi | 2 | 2020 | — | rising |
| 122 | Burkina Faso | 2 | 2010 | unchanged | falling |
| 122 | Brunei | 2 | 2021 | down 90.0% | volatile |
| 122 | Haiti | 2 | 2014 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 122 | Macao | 2 | 2021 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 122 | El Salvador | 2 | 2021 | down 71.4% | volatile |
| 122 | Trinidad and Tobago | 2 | 2021 | unchanged | volatile |
| 129 | Bhutan | 1 | 2019 | down 66.7% | volatile |
| 129 | Cape Verde | 1 | 2021 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 129 | Cyprus | 1 | 2021 | down 75.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Laos | 1 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 129 | Nicaragua | 1 | 2014 | down 92.9% | volatile |
| 129 | Tajikistan | 1 | 2019 | down 90.9% | volatile |
| 129 | Samoa | 1 | 2021 | unchanged | falling |