Annual patent applications in Iceland
Iceland: Annual patent applications was 34 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
34
Change on year
down 22.7%
World rank
88th
of 135 countries
All-time high
71
in 2002
All-time low
14
in 1981
Years of data
42
1980–2021
Annual patent applications in Iceland, 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 Iceland is 34, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 22.7% on the previous year and down 32.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in Iceland peaked at 71 in 2002 and was at its lowest, 14, in 1981.
That places Iceland 88th out of 135 countries with data for 2021, putting it 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 Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 19 | — |
| 1981 | 14 | -26.3% |
| 1982 | 18 | +28.6% |
| 1983 | 32 | +77.8% |
| 1984 | 28 | -12.5% |
| 1985 | 21 | -25.0% |
| 1986 | 29 | +38.1% |
| 1987 | 28 | -3.4% |
| 1988 | 16 | -42.9% |
| 1989 | 18 | +12.5% |
| 1990 | 17 | -5.6% |
| 1991 | 34 | +100.0% |
| 1992 | 28 | -17.6% |
| 1993 | 34 | +21.4% |
| 1994 | 22 | -35.3% |
| 1995 | 19 | -13.6% |
| 1996 | 16 | -15.8% |
| 1997 | 22 | +37.5% |
| 1998 | 41 | +86.4% |
| 1999 | 35 | -14.6% |
| 2000 | 51 | +45.7% |
| 2001 | 49 | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 71 | +44.9% |
| 2003 | 57 | -19.7% |
| 2004 | 66 | +15.8% |
| 2005 | 47 | -28.8% |
| 2006 | 45 | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 61 | +35.6% |
| 2008 | 50 | -18.0% |
| 2009 | 64 | +28.0% |
| 2010 | 57 | -10.9% |
| 2011 | 50 | -12.3% |
| 2012 | 37 | -26.0% |
| 2013 | 33 | -10.8% |
| 2014 | 51 | +54.5% |
| 2015 | 40 | -21.6% |
| 2016 | 35 | -12.5% |
| 2017 | 36 | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 56 | +55.6% |
| 2019 | 47 | -16.1% |
| 2020 | 44 | -6.4% |
| 2021 | 34 | -22.7% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 34 is below the median for high income countries, which is 397.5, 9% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 34 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 276, 12% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 22.3 | 14 | 32 | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.8 | 16 | 41 | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.1 | 45 | 71 | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.2 | 33 | 57 | 10 |
| 2020s | 39 | 34 | 44 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More science & technology data for Iceland
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 120.93 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.23 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 475,724 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 4.67 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.4503 % 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 715.97 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0019 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in Iceland?
- Annual patent applications in Iceland was 34 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 71 in 2002.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 14 in 1981.
- How does Iceland rank for annual patent applications?
- Iceland ranks 88th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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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