Life science patents granted, by technology in South Africa
South Africa: Life science patents granted, by technology was 2 patents in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Life science patents granted, by technology in South Africa, 1980–2023
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in patents.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 2 patents for life science patents granted, by technology in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.
That represents a change of down 77.8% on the previous year and down 99.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life science patents granted, by technology in South Africa peaked at 972 patents in 2008 and was at its lowest, 2 patents, in 2023.
South Africa ranks 52nd of 65 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Life science patents granted, by technology in South Africa, year by year
| Year | patents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 326 patents | — |
| 1981 | 318 patents | -2.5% |
| 1982 | 434 patents | +36.5% |
| 1983 | 467 patents | +7.6% |
| 1984 | 479 patents | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 466 patents | -2.7% |
| 1986 | 528 patents | +13.3% |
| 1987 | 549 patents | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 546 patents | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 533 patents | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 516 patents | -3.2% |
| 1991 | 558 patents | +8.1% |
| 1992 | 601 patents | +7.7% |
| 1993 | 561 patents | -6.7% |
| 1994 | 448 patents | -20.1% |
| 1995 | 551 patents | +23.0% |
| 1996 | 637 patents | +15.6% |
| 1997 | 596 patents | -6.4% |
| 1998 | 658 patents | +10.4% |
| 1999 | 598 patents | -9.1% |
| 2000 | 222 patents | -62.9% |
| 2001 | 226 patents | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 701 patents | +210.2% |
| 2003 | 870 patents | +24.1% |
| 2004 | 912 patents | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 832 patents | -8.8% |
| 2006 | 835 patents | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 775 patents | -7.2% |
| 2008 | 972 patents | +25.4% |
| 2009 | 777 patents | -20.1% |
| 2010 | 619 patents | -20.3% |
| 2011 | 239 patents | -61.4% |
| 2012 | 541 patents | +126.4% |
| 2013 | 383 patents | -29.2% |
| 2014 | 395 patents | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 170 patents | -57.0% |
| 2016 | 24 patents | -85.9% |
| 2017 | 26 patents | +8.3% |
| 2018 | 16 patents | -38.5% |
| 2019 | 24 patents | +50.0% |
| 2020 | 9 patents | -62.5% |
| 2021 | 13 patents | +44.4% |
| 2022 | 9 patents | -30.8% |
| 2023 | 2 patents | -77.8% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 2 patents is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 27 patents, 7% of the median. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Life science patents granted, by technology in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +210.2% | 226 patents | 701 patents |
| 2012 | +126.4% | 239 patents | 541 patents |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 464.6 patents | 318 patents | 549 patents | 10 |
| 1990s | 572.4 patents | 448 patents | 658 patents | 10 |
| 2000s | 712.2 patents | 222 patents | 972 patents | 10 |
| 2010s | 243.7 patents | 16 patents | 619 patents | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.25 patents | 2 patents | 13 patents | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 52 Austria 2 patents compare
- 52 Portugal 2 patents compare
- 55 Croatia 1 patents compare
- 55 Estonia 1 patents compare
- 55 Israel 1 patents compare
- 55 Italy 1 patents compare
- 55 Lithuania 1 patents compare
- 55 Malta 1 patents compare
- 55 Monaco 1 patents compare
- 55 Mongolia 1 patents compare
- 55 Slovenia 1 patents compare
- 55 Ukraine 1 patents compare
- 55 Zimbabwe 1 patents compare
More science & technology data for South Africa
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 179.34 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 89.37 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 8,549 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 8,549 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life science patents granted, by technology in South Africa?
- Life science patents granted, by technology in South Africa was 2 patents in 2023, according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life science patents granted, by technology recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 972 patents in 2008.
- What is the lowest life science patents granted, by technology recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2 patents in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for life science patents granted, by technology?
- South Africa ranks 52nd out of 65 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life science patents granted, by technology rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 99.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life science patents granted, by technology. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 44 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of pharmaceutical patents granted by the filing office in a given year. Pharmaceutical patents typically cover new drugs, biological treatments or vaccines.