Annual patent applications in Belgium
Belgium: Annual patent applications was 799 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
799
Change on year
down 7.3%
World rank
38th
of 135 countries
All-time high
1,054
in 2016
All-time low
454
in 2007
Years of data
42
1980–2021
Annual patent applications in Belgium, 1980–2021
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual patent applications in Belgium is 799, measured in 2021.
The figure is down 7.3% on the previous year and up 25.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in Belgium peaked at 1,054 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 454, in 2007.
Belgium ranks 38th of 135 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Annual patent applications in Belgium, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 865 | — |
| 1981 | 806 | -6.8% |
| 1982 | 914 | +13.4% |
| 1983 | 805 | -11.9% |
| 1984 | 869 | +8.0% |
| 1985 | 771 | -11.3% |
| 1986 | 794 | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 548 | -31.0% |
| 1988 | 636 | +16.1% |
| 1989 | 681 | +7.1% |
| 1990 | 643 | -5.6% |
| 1991 | 625 | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 675 | +8.0% |
| 1993 | 809 | +19.9% |
| 1994 | 744 | -8.0% |
| 1995 | 732 | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 776 | +6.0% |
| 1997 | 792 | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 690 | -12.9% |
| 1999 | 591 | -14.3% |
| 2000 | 577 | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 571 | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 601 | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 519 | -13.6% |
| 2004 | 514 | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 517 | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 490 | -5.2% |
| 2007 | 454 | -7.3% |
| 2008 | 575 | +26.7% |
| 2009 | 669 | +16.3% |
| 2010 | 620 | -7.3% |
| 2011 | 636 | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 755 | +18.7% |
| 2013 | 715 | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 889 | +24.3% |
| 2015 | 949 | +6.7% |
| 2016 | 1,054 | +11.1% |
| 2017 | 1,001 | -5.0% |
| 2018 | 892 | -10.9% |
| 2019 | 876 | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 862 | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 799 | -7.3% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 799 is above the median for high income countries, which is 397.5, 2.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 799 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 276, 2.9× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 768.9 | 548 | 914 | 10 |
| 1990s | 707.7 | 591 | 809 | 10 |
| 2000s | 548.7 | 454 | 669 | 10 |
| 2010s | 838.7 | 620 | 1,054 | 10 |
| 2020s | 830.5 | 799 | 862 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More science & technology data for Belgium
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 103.91 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.03 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 12.20 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 396.38 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.687 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.9084 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 16,816 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0014 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in Belgium?
- Annual patent applications in Belgium was 799 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 Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 1,054 in 2016.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 454 in 2007.
- How does Belgium rank for annual patent applications?
- Belgium ranks 38th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Belgium 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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