Annual patent applications per million people in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Annual patent applications per million people was 25.36 applications per million people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
25.36 applications per million people
Change on year
down 30.5%
World rank
51st
of 135 countries
All-time high
428.87 applications per million people
in 1984
All-time low
0.1116 applications per million people
in 1986
Years of data
42
1980–2021
Annual patent applications per million people in Bulgaria, 1980–2021
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World i. Measured in applications per million people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual patent applications per million people in Bulgaria is 25.36 applications per million people, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 30.5% on the previous year and down 28.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications per million people in Bulgaria peaked at 428.87 applications per million people in 1984 and was at its lowest, 0.1116 applications per million people, in 1986.
Bulgaria ranks 51st of 135 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.
Annual patent applications per million people in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | applications per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 372.06 applications per million people | — |
| 1981 | 413.11 applications per million people | +11.0% |
| 1982 | 406.84 applications per million people | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 426.3 applications per million people | +4.8% |
| 1984 | 428.87 applications per million people | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 0.2232 applications per million people | -99.9% |
| 1986 | 0.1116 applications per million people | -50.0% |
| 1987 | 0.3344 applications per million people | +199.6% |
| 1988 | 0.668 applications per million people | +99.8% |
| 1989 | 7.1 applications per million people | +962.4% |
| 1990 | 22.71 applications per million people | +220.0% |
| 1991 | 48.89 applications per million people | +115.3% |
| 1992 | 38.52 applications per million people | -21.2% |
| 1993 | 48.63 applications per million people | +26.2% |
| 1994 | 37.78 applications per million people | -22.3% |
| 1995 | 43.78 applications per million people | +15.9% |
| 1996 | 37.79 applications per million people | -13.7% |
| 1997 | 47.4 applications per million people | +25.4% |
| 1998 | 33.18 applications per million people | -30.0% |
| 1999 | 34.35 applications per million people | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 28.27 applications per million people | -17.7% |
| 2001 | 35.33 applications per million people | +25.0% |
| 2002 | 36.88 applications per million people | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 35.75 applications per million people | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 34.08 applications per million people | -4.7% |
| 2005 | 34.08 applications per million people | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 31.97 applications per million people | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 27.96 applications per million people | -12.5% |
| 2008 | 33.23 applications per million people | +18.8% |
| 2009 | 32.51 applications per million people | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 32.86 applications per million people | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 35.65 applications per million people | +8.5% |
| 2012 | 33.53 applications per million people | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 39.39 applications per million people | +17.4% |
| 2014 | 30.82 applications per million people | -21.8% |
| 2015 | 40.09 applications per million people | +30.1% |
| 2016 | 33.36 applications per million people | -16.8% |
| 2017 | 29.69 applications per million people | -11.0% |
| 2018 | 26.82 applications per million people | -9.7% |
| 2019 | 28.11 applications per million people | +4.8% |
| 2020 | 36.48 applications per million people | +29.8% |
| 2021 | 25.36 applications per million people | -30.5% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 25.36 applications per million people is below the median for high income countries, which is 60.04 applications per million people, 42% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 25.36 applications per million people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 41.22 applications per million people, 62% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual patent applications per million people in Bulgaria 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +962.4% | 0.668 applications per million people | 7.1 applications per million people |
| 1990 | +220.0% | 7.1 applications per million people | 22.71 applications per million people |
| 1987 | +199.6% | 0.1116 applications per million people | 0.3344 applications per million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 205.56 applications per million people | 0.1116 applications per million people | 428.87 applications per million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 39.3 applications per million people | 22.71 applications per million people | 48.89 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.01 applications per million people | 27.96 applications per million people | 36.88 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.03 applications per million people | 26.82 applications per million people | 40.09 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.92 applications per million people | 25.36 applications per million people | 36.48 applications per million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 48 Spain 27.57 applications per million people compare
- 49 Slovakia 26.8 applications per million people compare
- 50 Malaysia 25.76 applications per million people compare
- 52 Moldova 24.66 applications per million people compare
- 53 Georgia 24.27 applications per million people compare
- 54 North Macedonia 22.86 applications per million people compare
More science & technology data for Bulgaria
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 118.07 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.24 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 7.98 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 73.83 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.1136 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -0.4474 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 4,998 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0008 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications per million people in Bulgaria?
- Annual patent applications per million people in Bulgaria was 25.36 applications per million people in 2021, according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World i.
- What is the highest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 428.87 applications per million people in 1984.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1116 applications per million people in 1986.
- How does Bulgaria rank for annual patent applications per million people?
- Bulgaria ranks 51st out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications per million people rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World i, published as part of Annual patent applications per million people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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