Annual patent applications per million people in Iran
Iran: Annual patent applications per million people was 115.42 applications per million people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
115.42 applications per million people
Change on year
down 11.1%
World rank
26th
of 135 countries
All-time high
203.97 applications per million people
in 2008
All-time low
2.49 applications per million people
in 1989
Years of data
40
1980–2021
Annual patent applications per million people in Iran, 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 Iran is 115.42 applications per million people, measured in 2021.
The figure is down 11.1% on the previous year and down 21.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications per million people in Iran peaked at 203.97 applications per million people in 2008 and was at its lowest, 2.49 applications per million people, in 1989.
Iran ranks 26th of 135 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual patent applications per million people in Iran, year by year
| Year | applications per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 4.24 applications per million people | — |
| 1981 | 6.81 applications per million people | +60.6% |
| 1982 | 4.56 applications per million people | -33.0% |
| 1983 | 4.63 applications per million people | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 3.39 applications per million people | -26.8% |
| 1985 | 3.69 applications per million people | +8.9% |
| 1987 | 3.88 applications per million people | +5.2% |
| 1988 | 3.03 applications per million people | -21.9% |
| 1989 | 2.49 applications per million people | -18.0% |
| 1990 | 3.12 applications per million people | +25.4% |
| 1991 | 4.37 applications per million people | +40.1% |
| 1992 | 3.68 applications per million people | -15.8% |
| 1993 | 4.53 applications per million people | +23.1% |
| 1994 | 4.32 applications per million people | -4.5% |
| 1995 | 4.47 applications per million people | +3.4% |
| 1996 | 4.58 applications per million people | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 4.46 applications per million people | -2.6% |
| 1998 | 5.22 applications per million people | +17.0% |
| 1999 | 5.59 applications per million people | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 6.17 applications per million people | +10.4% |
| 2001 | 10.24 applications per million people | +66.0% |
| 2002 | 13.38 applications per million people | +30.6% |
| 2003 | 18.71 applications per million people | +39.9% |
| 2004 | 34.53 applications per million people | +84.5% |
| 2005 | 56.4 applications per million people | +63.3% |
| 2006 | 81.34 applications per million people | +44.2% |
| 2007 | 142.73 applications per million people | +75.5% |
| 2008 | 203.97 applications per million people | +42.9% |
| 2009 | 159.36 applications per million people | -21.9% |
| 2010 | 143.48 applications per million people | -10.0% |
| 2011 | 147.08 applications per million people | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 133.83 applications per million people | -9.0% |
| 2013 | 140.58 applications per million people | +5.0% |
| 2014 | 167.88 applications per million people | +19.4% |
| 2016 | 178.14 applications per million people | +6.1% |
| 2017 | 179.52 applications per million people | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 138.28 applications per million people | -23.0% |
| 2019 | 132.9 applications per million people | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 129.91 applications per million people | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 115.42 applications per million people | -11.1% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 115.42 applications per million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 9.24 applications per million people, 12.5× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Iran's 115.42 applications per million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 7.04 applications per million people, 16.4× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4.08 applications per million people | 2.49 applications per million people | 6.81 applications per million people | 9 |
| 1990s | 4.43 applications per million people | 3.12 applications per million people | 5.59 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.68 applications per million people | 6.17 applications per million people | 203.97 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 151.3 applications per million people | 132.9 applications per million people | 179.52 applications per million people | 9 |
| 2020s | 122.67 applications per million people | 115.42 applications per million people | 129.91 applications per million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 23 Canada 123.17 applications per million people compare
- 24 Netherlands 118.63 applications per million people compare
- 25 Australia 115.47 applications per million people compare
- 27 Slovenia 105.31 applications per million people compare
- 28 Turkey 97.85 applications per million people compare
- 29 Poland 91.32 applications per million people compare
More science & technology data for Iran
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 174.07 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.74 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 159.39 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 92.86 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.79 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 55,085 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0006 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications per million people in Iran?
- Annual patent applications per million people in Iran was 115.42 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 203.97 applications per million people in 2008.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.49 applications per million people in 1989.
- How does Iran rank for annual patent applications per million people?
- Iran ranks 26th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications per million people rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran 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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