Annual patent applications per million people in Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Annual patent applications per million people was 54.09 applications per million people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
54.09 applications per million people
Change on year
down 4.3%
World rank
35th
of 135 countries
All-time high
56.54 applications per million people
in 2020
All-time low
1.53 applications per million people
in 1993
Years of data
39
1983–2021
Annual patent applications per million people in Hong Kong, 1983–2021
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 Hong Kong is 54.09 applications per million people, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 4.3% on the previous year and up 111.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications per million people in Hong Kong peaked at 56.54 applications per million people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.53 applications per million people, in 1993.
That places Hong Kong 35th out of 135 countries with data for 2021, putting it 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 Hong Kong, year by year
| Year | applications per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 3.93 applications per million people | — |
| 1984 | 3.71 applications per million people | -5.7% |
| 1985 | 2.93 applications per million people | -20.9% |
| 1986 | 1.81 applications per million people | -38.3% |
| 1987 | 2.33 applications per million people | +28.7% |
| 1988 | 2.13 applications per million people | -8.5% |
| 1989 | 2.64 applications per million people | +23.7% |
| 1990 | 3.68 applications per million people | +39.6% |
| 1991 | 2.78 applications per million people | -24.4% |
| 1992 | 1.9 applications per million people | -31.8% |
| 1993 | 1.53 applications per million people | -19.6% |
| 1994 | 3.48 applications per million people | +128.1% |
| 1995 | 3.74 applications per million people | +7.4% |
| 1996 | 6.37 applications per million people | +70.5% |
| 1997 | 4.01 applications per million people | -37.1% |
| 1998 | 19.56 applications per million people | +388.2% |
| 1999 | 6.36 applications per million people | -67.5% |
| 2000 | 7.65 applications per million people | +20.4% |
| 2001 | 11.02 applications per million people | +44.0% |
| 2002 | 16.61 applications per million people | +50.7% |
| 2003 | 15.9 applications per million people | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 18.72 applications per million people | +17.8% |
| 2005 | 22.9 applications per million people | +22.3% |
| 2006 | 25.08 applications per million people | +9.6% |
| 2007 | 23.13 applications per million people | -7.8% |
| 2008 | 24.86 applications per million people | +7.5% |
| 2009 | 21.37 applications per million people | -14.1% |
| 2010 | 18.93 applications per million people | -11.4% |
| 2011 | 25.6 applications per million people | +35.2% |
| 2012 | 23.92 applications per million people | -6.6% |
| 2013 | 31.48 applications per million people | +31.6% |
| 2014 | 26.56 applications per million people | -15.6% |
| 2015 | 32.78 applications per million people | +23.4% |
| 2016 | 31.76 applications per million people | -3.1% |
| 2017 | 43.82 applications per million people | +38.0% |
| 2018 | 42.13 applications per million people | -3.9% |
| 2019 | 46.08 applications per million people | +9.4% |
| 2020 | 56.54 applications per million people | +22.7% |
| 2021 | 54.09 applications per million people | -4.3% |
Hong Kong compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong's 54.09 applications per million people is below the median for high income countries, which is 60.04 applications per million people, 90% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong's 54.09 applications per million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28.98 applications per million people, 1.9× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual patent applications per million people in Hong Kong 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +388.2% | 4.01 applications per million people | 19.56 applications per million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.78 applications per million people | 1.81 applications per million people | 3.93 applications per million people | 7 |
| 1990s | 5.34 applications per million people | 1.53 applications per million people | 19.56 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.72 applications per million people | 7.65 applications per million people | 25.08 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.31 applications per million people | 18.93 applications per million people | 46.08 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.32 applications per million people | 54.09 applications per million people | 56.54 applications per million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong
- 32 Portugal 68.62 applications per million people compare
- 33 New Zealand 64.9 applications per million people compare
- 34 Latvia 55.19 applications per million people compare
- 36 Czechia 51.5 applications per million people compare
- 37 Guyana 49.05 applications per million people compare
- 38 Saudi Arabia 45.41 applications per million people compare
More science & technology data for Hong Kong
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 364.85 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 3.6 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 27.05 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 22,647 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 14.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 13.77 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 15,445 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 15,445 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications per million people in Hong Kong?
- Annual patent applications per million people in Hong Kong was 54.09 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 Hong Kong?
- The highest recorded value was 56.54 applications per million people in 2020.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Hong Kong?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.53 applications per million people in 1993.
- How does Hong Kong rank for annual patent applications per million people?
- Hong Kong ranks 35th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications per million people rising or falling in Hong Kong?
- Over the last ten years it is up 111.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hong Kong 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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