Annual patent applications in Malaysia
Malaysia: Annual patent applications was 883 in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Annual patent applications in Malaysia, 1985–2021
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Malaysia recorded 883 for annual patent applications in 2021.
The figure is down 10.7% on the previous year and down 17.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in Malaysia peaked at 1,353 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 8, in 1985.
Malaysia ranks 34th of 135 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual patent applications in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 8 | — |
| 1986 | 29 | +262.5% |
| 1987 | 71 | +144.8% |
| 1988 | 73 | +2.8% |
| 1989 | 84 | +15.1% |
| 1990 | 92 | +9.5% |
| 1991 | 106 | +15.2% |
| 1992 | 151 | +42.5% |
| 1993 | 198 | +31.1% |
| 1994 | 223 | +12.6% |
| 1995 | 141 | -36.8% |
| 1996 | 221 | +56.7% |
| 1997 | 179 | -19.0% |
| 1998 | 193 | +7.8% |
| 1999 | 218 | +13.0% |
| 2000 | 206 | -5.5% |
| 2001 | 271 | +31.6% |
| 2002 | 322 | +18.8% |
| 2003 | 376 | +16.8% |
| 2004 | 522 | +38.8% |
| 2005 | 522 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 531 | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 670 | +26.2% |
| 2008 | 818 | +22.1% |
| 2009 | 1,234 | +50.9% |
| 2010 | 1,231 | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 1,076 | -12.6% |
| 2012 | 1,114 | +3.5% |
| 2013 | 1,199 | +7.6% |
| 2014 | 1,353 | +12.8% |
| 2015 | 1,272 | -6.0% |
| 2016 | 1,109 | -12.8% |
| 2017 | 1,166 | +5.1% |
| 2018 | 1,116 | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 1,071 | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 989 | -7.7% |
| 2021 | 883 | -10.7% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 883 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 109, 8.1× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 883 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 875, 1.0× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual patent applications in Malaysia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | +262.5% | 8 | 29 |
| 1987 | +144.8% | 29 | 71 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 53 | 8 | 84 | 5 |
| 1990s | 172.2 | 92 | 223 | 10 |
| 2000s | 547.2 | 206 | 1,234 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,171 | 1,071 | 1,353 | 10 |
| 2020s | 936 | 883 | 989 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More science & technology data for Malaysia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 139.66 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.4 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 49.66 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 152.6 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -2.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -0.9474 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 23,691 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0007 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in Malaysia?
- Annual patent applications in Malaysia was 883 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 1,353 in 2014.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8 in 1985.
- How does Malaysia rank for annual patent applications?
- Malaysia ranks 34th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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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