Life science patents granted, by filing office in Iceland
Iceland: Life science patents granted, by filing office was 0 patents in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Life science patents granted, by filing office in Iceland, 1980–2023
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in patents.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life science patents granted, by filing office in Iceland is 0 patents, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 44 years on record.
The figure is down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life science patents granted, by filing office in Iceland peaked at 73 patents in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0 patents, in 1980.
Iceland ranks 48th of 70 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Life science patents granted, by filing office in Iceland, year by year
| Year | patents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 patents | — |
| 1981 | 0 patents | — |
| 1982 | 0 patents | — |
| 1983 | 4 patents | — |
| 1984 | 2 patents | -50.0% |
| 1985 | 5 patents | +150.0% |
| 1986 | 4 patents | -20.0% |
| 1987 | 3 patents | -25.0% |
| 1988 | 4 patents | +33.3% |
| 1989 | 11 patents | +175.0% |
| 1990 | 4 patents | -63.6% |
| 1991 | 5 patents | +25.0% |
| 1992 | 7 patents | +40.0% |
| 1993 | 3 patents | -57.1% |
| 1994 | 6 patents | +100.0% |
| 1995 | 3 patents | -50.0% |
| 1996 | 22 patents | +633.3% |
| 1997 | 12 patents | -45.5% |
| 1998 | 8 patents | -33.3% |
| 1999 | 5 patents | -37.5% |
| 2000 | 7 patents | +40.0% |
| 2001 | 14 patents | +100.0% |
| 2002 | 11 patents | -21.4% |
| 2003 | 30 patents | +172.7% |
| 2004 | 27 patents | -10.0% |
| 2005 | 47 patents | +74.1% |
| 2006 | 51 patents | +8.5% |
| 2007 | 67 patents | +31.4% |
| 2008 | 73 patents | +9.0% |
| 2009 | 39 patents | -46.6% |
| 2010 | 72 patents | +84.6% |
| 2011 | 34 patents | -52.8% |
| 2012 | 27 patents | -20.6% |
| 2013 | 15 patents | -44.4% |
| 2014 | 29 patents | +93.3% |
| 2015 | 7 patents | -75.9% |
| 2016 | 8 patents | +14.3% |
| 2017 | 13 patents | +62.5% |
| 2018 | 5 patents | -61.5% |
| 2019 | 4 patents | -20.0% |
| 2020 | 2 patents | -50.0% |
| 2021 | 3 patents | +50.0% |
| 2022 | 0 patents | -100.0% |
| 2023 | 0 patents | — |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 0 patents is below the median for high income countries, which is 28 patents. (43 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 0 patents is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.5 patents. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Life science patents granted, by filing office in Iceland 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +633.3% | 3 patents | 22 patents |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.3 patents | 0 patents | 11 patents | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.5 patents | 3 patents | 22 patents | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.6 patents | 7 patents | 73 patents | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.4 patents | 4 patents | 72 patents | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.25 patents | 0 patents | 3 patents | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 46 Monaco 1 patents compare
- 46 Ukraine 1 patents compare
- 48 Argentina 0 patents compare
- 48 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 patents compare
- 48 Chile 0 patents compare
- 48 Egypt 0 patents compare
- 48 Hong Kong 0 patents compare
- 48 Indonesia 0 patents compare
- 48 Italy 0 patents compare
- 48 Kenya 0 patents compare
- 48 Malta 0 patents compare
- 48 Mexico 0 patents compare
- 48 Mongolia 0 patents compare
- 48 Montenegro 0 patents compare
- 48 Nicaragua 0 patents compare
- 48 Philippines 0 patents compare
- 48 Russia 0 patents compare
- 48 San Marino 0 patents compare
- 48 Singapore 0 patents compare
- 48 Tajikistan 0 patents compare
- 48 Turkey 0 patents compare
- 48 USSR 0 patents compare
- 48 Vietnam 0 patents compare
- 48 Zimbabwe 0 patents compare
More science & technology data for Iceland
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 120.93 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.23 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 475,724 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 4.67 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.4503 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 1.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 5 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 5 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life science patents granted, by filing office in Iceland?
- Life science patents granted, by filing office in Iceland was 0 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 filing office recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 73 patents in 2008.
- What is the lowest life science patents granted, by filing office recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 patents in 1980.
- How does Iceland rank for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- Iceland ranks 48th out of 70 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life science patents granted, by filing office rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland 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 filing office. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Patents granted within the fields of medical technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals by filing office. These patents cover a wide range of innovations, such as medical devices, diagnostic methods, genetic engineering techniques, biotechnological processes and new drugs.