Annual patent applications in Spain
Spain: Annual patent applications was 1,308 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Annual patent applications in Spain, 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 Spain is 1,308, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.6% on the previous year and down 61.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in Spain peaked at 3,632 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 1,288, in 2019.
Spain ranks 27th of 135 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,794 | 1,498 | 2,149 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,202 | 2,047 | 2,439 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,033 | 2,528 | 3,632 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,676 | 1,288 | 3,566 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,370 | 1,308 | 1,431 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More science & technology data for Spain
- Scientific and technical journal articles 60,304 (2023)
- Mobile phone subscriptions 62.41 million (2024)
- Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people 130.26 per 100 people (2024)
- Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people 130.26 per 100 people (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 126 (2021)
- Share of the population using the Internet 95.8% (2024)
- Patent applications, residents 1,308 (2021)
- Research and development expenditure 1.5% (2023)
- Human resources in science and technology (HRST) by category and NUTS 14,611 Thousand persons (2025)
- Number of people using the Internet 44.82 million users (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in Spain?
- Annual patent applications in Spain was 1,308 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 Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 3,632 in 2008.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,288 in 2019.
- How does Spain rank for annual patent applications?
- Spain ranks 27th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Spain 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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CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).