Annual patent applications in Netherlands
Netherlands: Annual patent applications was 2,080 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
2,080
Change on year
down 5.4%
World rank
18th
of 135 countries
All-time high
2,585
in 2011
All-time low
1,605
in 1991
Years of data
42
1980–2021
Annual patent applications in Netherlands, 1980–2021
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Netherlands recorded 2,080 for annual patent applications in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.4% on the previous year and down 19.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in Netherlands peaked at 2,585 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 1,605, in 1991.
That places Netherlands 18th out of 135 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Annual patent applications in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1,826 | — |
| 1981 | 1,897 | +3.9% |
| 1982 | 1,873 | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 1,889 | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 1,840 | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 1,938 | +5.3% |
| 1986 | 1,866 | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 1,970 | +5.6% |
| 1988 | 2,158 | +9.5% |
| 1989 | 2,205 | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 2,147 | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 1,605 | -25.2% |
| 1992 | 1,753 | +9.2% |
| 1993 | 1,733 | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 1,748 | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 2,123 | +21.5% |
| 1996 | 2,348 | +10.6% |
| 1997 | 2,391 | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 2,451 | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 2,545 | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 2,465 | -3.1% |
| 2001 | 2,110 | -14.4% |
| 2002 | 2,122 | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 2,288 | +7.8% |
| 2004 | 2,187 | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 2,217 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 2,168 | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 2,079 | -4.1% |
| 2008 | 2,421 | +16.5% |
| 2009 | 2,575 | +6.4% |
| 2010 | 2,527 | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 2,585 | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 2,375 | -8.1% |
| 2013 | 2,315 | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 2,294 | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 2,207 | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 2,290 | +3.8% |
| 2017 | 2,241 | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 2,111 | -5.8% |
| 2019 | 2,228 | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 2,198 | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 2,080 | -5.4% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 2,080 is above the median for high income countries, which is 397.5, 5.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 2,080 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 276, 7.5× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,946 | 1,826 | 2,205 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,084 | 1,605 | 2,545 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,263 | 2,079 | 2,575 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,317 | 2,111 | 2,585 | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,139 | 2,080 | 2,198 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
More science & technology data for Netherlands
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 128.54 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.3 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 23.43 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 673.15 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 2.61 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 3.38 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 32,207 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0018 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in Netherlands?
- Annual patent applications in Netherlands was 2,080 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 Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 2,585 in 2011.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,605 in 1991.
- How does Netherlands rank for annual patent applications?
- Netherlands ranks 18th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands 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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