Annual patent applications in Australia
Australia: Annual patent applications was 2,966 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
2,966
Change on year
up 25.3%
World rank
17th
of 135 countries
All-time high
3,061
in 2013
All-time low
369
in 1982
Years of data
42
1980–2021
Annual patent applications in Australia, 1980–2021
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2021, annual patent applications in Australia stood at 2,966.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 25.3% on the previous year and up 24.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in Australia peaked at 3,061 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 369, in 1982.
Australia ranks 17th of 135 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Annual patent applications in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 397 | — |
| 1981 | 458 | +15.4% |
| 1982 | 369 | -19.4% |
| 1983 | 446 | +20.9% |
| 1984 | 565 | +26.7% |
| 1985 | 699 | +23.7% |
| 1986 | 967 | +38.3% |
| 1987 | 1,131 | +17.0% |
| 1988 | 1,418 | +25.4% |
| 1989 | 1,649 | +16.3% |
| 1990 | 1,712 | +3.8% |
| 1991 | 1,717 | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 1,695 | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 1,663 | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 1,699 | +2.2% |
| 1995 | 1,784 | +5.0% |
| 1996 | 1,797 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 1,760 | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 1,862 | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 1,858 | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 1,928 | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 2,187 | +13.4% |
| 2002 | 2,364 | +8.1% |
| 2003 | 2,418 | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 2,559 | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 2,555 | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 2,837 | +11.0% |
| 2007 | 2,718 | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 2,821 | +3.8% |
| 2009 | 2,494 | -11.6% |
| 2010 | 2,409 | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 2,383 | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 2,627 | +10.2% |
| 2013 | 3,061 | +16.5% |
| 2014 | 1,988 | -35.1% |
| 2015 | 2,291 | +15.2% |
| 2016 | 2,620 | +14.4% |
| 2017 | 2,503 | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 2,757 | +10.1% |
| 2019 | 2,637 | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 2,368 | -10.2% |
| 2021 | 2,966 | +25.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 2,966 is above the median for high income countries, which is 397.5, 7.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Australia's 2,966 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 875, 3.4× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 809.9 | 369 | 1,649 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,755 | 1,663 | 1,862 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,488 | 1,928 | 2,837 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,528 | 1,988 | 3,061 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,667 | 2,368 | 2,966 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More science & technology data for Australia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 112.58 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.11 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 30.07 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 3.87 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.0604 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 1.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 54,589 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in Australia?
- Annual patent applications in Australia was 2,966 in 2021, according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual patent applications recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 3,061 in 2013.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 369 in 1982.
- How does Australia rank for annual patent applications?
- Australia ranks 17th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual patent applications. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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