Annual patent applications in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Annual patent applications was 165 in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Annual patent applications in Bulgaria, 1980–2021
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 165 for annual patent applications in 2021.
That represents a change of down 31.0% on the previous year and down 37.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in Bulgaria peaked at 3,843 in 1984 and was at its lowest, 1, in 1986.
Bulgaria ranks 60th of 135 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual patent applications in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 3,297 | — |
| 1981 | 3,673 | +11.4% |
| 1982 | 3,628 | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 3,811 | +5.0% |
| 1984 | 3,843 | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 2 | -99.9% |
| 1986 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1987 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1988 | 6 | +100.0% |
| 1989 | 63 | +950.0% |
| 1990 | 198 | +214.3% |
| 1991 | 422 | +113.1% |
| 1992 | 329 | -22.0% |
| 1993 | 412 | +25.2% |
| 1994 | 319 | -22.6% |
| 1995 | 368 | +15.4% |
| 1996 | 316 | -14.1% |
| 1997 | 394 | +24.7% |
| 1998 | 274 | -30.5% |
| 1999 | 282 | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 231 | -18.1% |
| 2001 | 283 | +22.5% |
| 2002 | 289 | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 278 | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 263 | -5.4% |
| 2005 | 261 | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 243 | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 211 | -13.2% |
| 2008 | 249 | +18.0% |
| 2009 | 242 | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 243 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 262 | +7.8% |
| 2012 | 245 | -6.5% |
| 2013 | 282 | +15.1% |
| 2014 | 218 | -22.7% |
| 2015 | 280 | +28.4% |
| 2016 | 230 | -17.9% |
| 2017 | 202 | -12.2% |
| 2018 | 180 | -10.9% |
| 2019 | 186 | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 239 | +28.5% |
| 2021 | 165 | -31.0% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 165 is below the median for high income countries, which is 397.5, 42% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 165 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 276, 60% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual patent applications in Bulgaria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +950.0% | 6 | 63 |
| 1990 | +214.3% | 63 | 198 |
| 1987 | +200.0% | 1 | 3 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,833 | 1 | 3,843 | 10 |
| 1990s | 331.4 | 198 | 422 | 10 |
| 2000s | 255 | 211 | 289 | 10 |
| 2010s | 232.8 | 180 | 282 | 10 |
| 2020s | 202 | 165 | 239 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More science & technology data for Bulgaria
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 118.07 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.24 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 7.98 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 73.83 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.1136 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -0.4474 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 4,998 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0008 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in Bulgaria?
- Annual patent applications in Bulgaria was 165 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 Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 3,843 in 1984.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1986.
- How does Bulgaria rank for annual patent applications?
- Bulgaria ranks 60th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 37.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria 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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