Annual patent applications in Spain
Spain: Annual patent applications was 1,308 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
1,308
Change on year
down 8.6%
World rank
27th
of 135 countries
All-time high
3,632
in 2008
All-time low
1,288
in 2019
Years of data
42
1980–2021
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.
Annual patent applications in Spain, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1,876 | — |
| 1981 | 1,718 | -8.4% |
| 1982 | 1,646 | -4.2% |
| 1983 | 1,498 | -9.0% |
| 1984 | 1,784 | +19.1% |
| 1985 | 2,149 | +20.5% |
| 1986 | 1,649 | -23.3% |
| 1987 | 1,720 | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 1,816 | +5.6% |
| 1989 | 2,087 | +14.9% |
| 1990 | 2,218 | +6.3% |
| 1991 | 2,156 | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 2,076 | -3.7% |
| 1993 | 2,165 | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 2,136 | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 2,047 | -4.2% |
| 1996 | 2,274 | +11.1% |
| 1997 | 2,237 | -1.6% |
| 1998 | 2,271 | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 2,439 | +7.4% |
| 2000 | 2,710 | +11.1% |
| 2001 | 2,528 | -6.7% |
| 2002 | 2,763 | +9.3% |
| 2003 | 2,813 | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 2,871 | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 3,040 | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 3,111 | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 3,267 | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 3,632 | +11.2% |
| 2009 | 3,596 | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 3,566 | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 3,430 | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 3,266 | -4.8% |
| 2013 | 3,026 | -7.3% |
| 2014 | 2,953 | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 2,799 | -5.2% |
| 2016 | 2,745 | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 2,167 | -21.1% |
| 2018 | 1,525 | -29.6% |
| 2019 | 1,288 | -15.5% |
| 2020 | 1,431 | +11.1% |
| 2021 | 1,308 | -8.6% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 1,308 is above the median for high income countries, which is 397.5, 3.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Spain's 1,308 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 276, 4.7× the median. (49 countries reporting)
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
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 130.26 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.28 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 62.41 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 122.45 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 1.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 60,304 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0012 units per person (2023)
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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