Annual patent applications in Australia
Australia: Annual patent applications was 2,966 in 2021. ▲ Rising
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.
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
- Scientific and technical journal articles 54,589 (2023)
- Mobile phone subscriptions 30.07 million (2024)
- Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people 112.58 per 100 people (2024)
- Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people 112.58 per 100 people (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 29,443 (2021)
- Share of the population using the Internet 96.1% (2024)
- Patent applications, residents 2,966 (2021)
- Research and development expenditure 1.9% (2021)
- Number of people using the Internet 25.17 million users (2021)
- Landline Internet subscriptions per 100 people 36.48 per 100 people (2024)
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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CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).