Annual patent applications in Sweden
Sweden: Annual patent applications was 1,771 in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
1,771
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
22nd
of 135 countries
All-time high
4,283
in 1983
All-time low
1,764
in 2020
Years of data
42
1980–2021
Annual patent applications in Sweden, 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 Sweden is 1,771, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in Sweden peaked at 4,283 in 1983 and was at its lowest, 1,764, in 2020.
That places Sweden 22nd out of 135 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 42 years of available data.
Annual patent applications in Sweden, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 4,106 | — |
| 1981 | 3,914 | -4.7% |
| 1982 | 4,087 | +4.4% |
| 1983 | 4,283 | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 3,969 | -7.3% |
| 1985 | 3,840 | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 3,685 | -4.0% |
| 1987 | 3,521 | -4.5% |
| 1988 | 3,260 | -7.4% |
| 1989 | 3,147 | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 3,108 | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 3,154 | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 3,291 | +4.3% |
| 1993 | 3,760 | +14.3% |
| 1994 | 3,953 | +5.1% |
| 1995 | 3,941 | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 4,111 | +4.3% |
| 1997 | 4,130 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 3,972 | -3.8% |
| 1999 | 4,142 | +4.3% |
| 2000 | 4,224 | +2.0% |
| 2001 | 3,926 | -7.1% |
| 2002 | 3,358 | -14.5% |
| 2003 | 3,025 | -9.9% |
| 2004 | 2,768 | -8.5% |
| 2005 | 2,522 | -8.9% |
| 2006 | 2,446 | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 2,527 | +3.3% |
| 2008 | 2,549 | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 2,186 | -14.2% |
| 2010 | 2,196 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 2,004 | -8.7% |
| 2012 | 2,288 | +14.2% |
| 2013 | 2,332 | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 1,984 | -14.9% |
| 2015 | 2,038 | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 2,032 | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 1,992 | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 1,838 | -7.7% |
| 2019 | 1,802 | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 1,764 | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 1,771 | +0.4% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 1,771 is above the median for high income countries, which is 397.5, 4.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 1,771 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 276, 6.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3,781 | 3,147 | 4,283 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3,756 | 3,108 | 4,142 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,953 | 2,186 | 4,224 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,051 | 1,802 | 2,332 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,768 | 1,764 | 1,771 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More science & technology data for Sweden
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 140.69 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.41 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 14.92 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 36.34 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.3001 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.8277 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 21,244 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in Sweden?
- Annual patent applications in Sweden was 1,771 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 4,283 in 1983.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,764 in 2020.
- How does Sweden rank for annual patent applications?
- Sweden ranks 22nd out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sweden 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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