Annual patent applications in Switzerland
Switzerland: Annual patent applications was 1,288 in 2021. ▼ Falling
Latest (2021)
1,288
Change on year
down 6.9%
World rank
29th
of 135 countries
All-time high
4,049
in 1980
All-time low
1,283
in 2018
Years of data
42
1980–2021
Annual patent applications in Switzerland, 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 Switzerland is 1,288, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% on the previous year and down 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications in Switzerland peaked at 4,049 in 1980 and was at its lowest, 1,283, in 2018.
That places Switzerland 29th 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 Switzerland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 4,049 | — |
| 1981 | 3,712 | -8.3% |
| 1982 | 3,845 | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 3,817 | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 3,393 | -11.1% |
| 1985 | 3,191 | -6.0% |
| 1986 | 3,199 | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 3,298 | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 3,236 | -1.9% |
| 1989 | 3,247 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 2,987 | -8.0% |
| 1991 | 2,949 | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 3,068 | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 2,999 | -2.2% |
| 1994 | 3,033 | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 2,890 | -4.7% |
| 1996 | 2,504 | -13.4% |
| 1997 | 2,408 | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 2,025 | -15.9% |
| 1999 | 1,916 | -5.4% |
| 2000 | 2,083 | +8.7% |
| 2001 | 1,859 | -10.8% |
| 2002 | 1,827 | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 1,831 | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 1,742 | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 1,643 | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 1,740 | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 1,692 | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 1,594 | -5.8% |
| 2009 | 1,684 | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 1,622 | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 1,597 | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 1,480 | -7.3% |
| 2013 | 1,525 | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 1,480 | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 1,477 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 1,462 | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 1,337 | -8.5% |
| 2018 | 1,283 | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 1,369 | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 1,384 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 1,288 | -6.9% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 1,288 is above the median for high income countries, which is 397.5, 3.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 1,288 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 | 3,499 | 3,191 | 4,049 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,678 | 1,916 | 3,068 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,770 | 1,594 | 2,083 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,463 | 1,283 | 1,622 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,336 | 1,288 | 1,384 | 2 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More science & technology data for Switzerland
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 129.47 (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 11.55 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 292.37 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.5767 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 22,804 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0026 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications in Switzerland?
- Annual patent applications in Switzerland was 1,288 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 4,049 in 1980.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,283 in 2018.
- How does Switzerland rank for annual patent applications?
- Switzerland ranks 29th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland 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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