Annual patent applications per million people in North Korea
North Korea: Annual patent applications per million people was 265.42 applications per million people in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
265.42 applications per million people
Change on year
down 6.3%
World rank
8th
of 135 countries
All-time high
331.35 applications per million people
in 2012
All-time low
240.24 applications per million people
in 2005
Years of data
11
2005–2020
Annual patent applications per million people in North Korea, 2005–2020
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 North Korea is 265.42 applications per million people, measured in 2020.
The figure is down 6.3% on the previous year and down 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications per million people in North Korea peaked at 331.35 applications per million people in 2012 and was at its lowest, 240.24 applications per million people, in 2005.
North Korea ranks 8th of 135 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Annual patent applications per million people in North Korea, year by year
| Year | applications per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 240.24 applications per million people | — |
| 2006 | 258.93 applications per million people | +7.8% |
| 2007 | 277.77 applications per million people | +7.3% |
| 2009 | 319.8 applications per million people | +15.1% |
| 2010 | 320.88 applications per million people | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 317 applications per million people | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 331.35 applications per million people | +4.5% |
| 2017 | 313.54 applications per million people | -5.4% |
| 2018 | 302.57 applications per million people | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 283.32 applications per million people | -6.4% |
| 2020 | 265.42 applications per million people | -6.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 265.42 applications per million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.4217 applications per million people, 629.4× the median. (12 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 265.42 applications per million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28.98 applications per million people, 9.2× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 274.18 applications per million people | 240.24 applications per million people | 319.8 applications per million people | 4 |
| 2010s | 311.45 applications per million people | 283.32 applications per million people | 331.35 applications per million people | 6 |
| 2020s | 265.42 applications per million people | 265.42 applications per million people | 265.42 applications per million people | 1 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 5 Germany 478.65 applications per million people compare
- 6 Singapore 371.13 applications per million people compare
- 7 Finland 281 applications per million people compare
- 9 Barbados 258.73 applications per million people compare
- 10 Austria 209.03 applications per million people compare
- 11 San Marino 204.37 applications per million people compare
More science & technology data for North Korea
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 24.13 (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.2413 units per person (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 6.35 million (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 52.77 units per square kilometre (2022)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 5.5 % change on previous year (2022)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.89 % change on previous year (2022)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 6 (2020)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 6 (2020)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, per capita 0 units per person (2020)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, per square kilometre 0 units per square kilometre (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications per million people in North Korea?
- Annual patent applications per million people in North Korea was 265.42 applications per million people in 2020, 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 North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 331.35 applications per million people in 2012.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications per million people recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 240.24 applications per million people in 2005.
- How does North Korea rank for annual patent applications per million people?
- North Korea ranks 8th out of 135 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual patent applications per million people rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea 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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