Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled in South Africa
South Africa: Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled was 8,549 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled in South Africa is 8,549, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 17.1% on the previous year and up 26.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled in South Africa peaked at 12,339 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 2,400, in 2000.
That places South Africa 15th out of 157 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 5,024 | — |
| 1981 | 5,694 | +13.3% |
| 1982 | 6,585 | +15.6% |
| 1983 | 5,479 | -16.8% |
| 1984 | 6,275 | +14.5% |
| 1985 | 5,849 | -6.8% |
| 1986 | 5,046 | -13.7% |
| 1987 | 4,844 | -4.0% |
| 1988 | 4,905 | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 4,842 | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 4,943 | +2.1% |
| 1991 | 4,654 | -5.8% |
| 1992 | 4,423 | -5.0% |
| 1993 | 4,282 | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 4,968 | +16.0% |
| 1995 | 5,482 | +10.3% |
| 1996 | 6,115 | +11.5% |
| 1997 | 6,917 | +13.1% |
| 1998 | 7,190 | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 3,002 | -58.2% |
| 2000 | 2,400 | -20.1% |
| 2001 | 5,427 | +126.1% |
| 2002 | 5,617 | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 5,303 | -5.6% |
| 2004 | 5,833 | +10.0% |
| 2005 | 6,001 | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 6,739 | +12.3% |
| 2007 | 7,402 | +9.8% |
| 2008 | 7,081 | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 5,913 | -16.5% |
| 2010 | 5,562 | -5.9% |
| 2011 | 6,589 | +18.5% |
| 2012 | 6,836 | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 6,657 | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 6,750 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 6,608 | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 6,506 | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 6,816 | +4.8% |
| 2018 | 6,258 | -8.2% |
| 2019 | 6,347 | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 6,146 | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 9,156 | +49.0% |
| 2022 | 12,339 | +34.8% |
| 2023 | 10,316 | -16.4% |
| 2024 | 8,549 | -17.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 8,549 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 96, 89.1× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 8,549 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.5, 633.3× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +126.1% | 2,400 | 5,427 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5,454 | 4,842 | 6,585 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5,198 | 3,002 | 7,190 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,772 | 2,400 | 7,402 | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,493 | 5,562 | 6,836 | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,301 | 6,146 | 12,339 | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 8,549 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, per capita 0.0001 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled in South Africa?
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled in South Africa was 8,549 in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 12,339 in 2022.
- What is the lowest patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,400 in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled?
- South Africa ranks 15th out of 157 countries with data for 2024.
- Is patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Patent applications, nonresidents with 301 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Patent applications, nonresidents WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Patent applications, nonresidents with 301 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.