Annual patent applications per million people in Malaysia
Malaysia: Annual patent applications per million people was 25.76 applications per million people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
25.76 applications per million people
Change on year
down 11.7%
World rank
50th
of 135 countries
All-time high
44.08 applications per million people
in 2014
All-time low
0.5245 applications per million people
in 1985
Years of data
37
1985–2021
Annual patent applications per million people in Malaysia, 1985–2021
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 Malaysia is 25.76 applications per million people, measured in 2021.
The figure is down 11.7% on the previous year and down 30.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications per million people in Malaysia peaked at 44.08 applications per million people in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.5245 applications per million people, in 1985.
Malaysia ranks 50th 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 Malaysia, year by year
| Year | applications per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 0.5245 applications per million people | — |
| 1986 | 1.84 applications per million people | +250.8% |
| 1987 | 4.36 applications per million people | +137.1% |
| 1988 | 4.35 applications per million people | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 4.85 applications per million people | +11.6% |
| 1990 | 5.16 applications per million people | +6.3% |
| 1991 | 5.78 applications per million people | +12.0% |
| 1992 | 8.02 applications per million people | +38.7% |
| 1993 | 10.25 applications per million people | +27.8% |
| 1994 | 11.25 applications per million people | +9.8% |
| 1995 | 6.94 applications per million people | -38.4% |
| 1996 | 10.6 applications per million people | +52.8% |
| 1997 | 8.37 applications per million people | -21.0% |
| 1998 | 8.81 applications per million people | +5.2% |
| 1999 | 9.72 applications per million people | +10.3% |
| 2000 | 8.97 applications per million people | -7.7% |
| 2001 | 11.52 applications per million people | +28.4% |
| 2002 | 13.36 applications per million people | +16.0% |
| 2003 | 15.24 applications per million people | +14.0% |
| 2004 | 20.67 applications per million people | +35.7% |
| 2005 | 20.2 applications per million people | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 20.1 applications per million people | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 24.82 applications per million people | +23.5% |
| 2008 | 29.67 applications per million people | +19.6% |
| 2009 | 43.88 applications per million people | +47.9% |
| 2010 | 42.96 applications per million people | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 36.9 applications per million people | -14.1% |
| 2012 | 37.56 applications per million people | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 39.74 applications per million people | +5.8% |
| 2014 | 44.08 applications per million people | +10.9% |
| 2015 | 40.73 applications per million people | -7.6% |
| 2016 | 34.89 applications per million people | -14.3% |
| 2017 | 36.04 applications per million people | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 33.91 applications per million people | -5.9% |
| 2019 | 32.03 applications per million people | -5.6% |
| 2020 | 29.18 applications per million people | -8.9% |
| 2021 | 25.76 applications per million people | -11.7% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 25.76 applications per million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 9.24 applications per million people, 2.8× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 25.76 applications per million people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28.98 applications per million people, 89% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual patent applications per million people in Malaysia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | +250.8% | 0.5245 applications per million people | 1.84 applications per million people |
| 1987 | +137.1% | 1.84 applications per million people | 4.36 applications per million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.18 applications per million people | 0.5245 applications per million people | 4.85 applications per million people | 5 |
| 1990s | 8.49 applications per million people | 5.16 applications per million people | 11.25 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.84 applications per million people | 8.97 applications per million people | 43.88 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.88 applications per million people | 32.03 applications per million people | 44.08 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.47 applications per million people | 25.76 applications per million people | 29.18 applications per million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 47 Lithuania 28.84 applications per million people compare
- 48 Spain 27.57 applications per million people compare
- 49 Slovakia 26.8 applications per million people compare
- 51 Bulgaria 25.36 applications per million people compare
- 52 Moldova 24.66 applications per million people compare
- 53 Georgia 24.27 applications per million people compare
More science & technology data for Malaysia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 139.66 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.4 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 49.66 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 152.6 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -2.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -0.9474 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 23,691 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0007 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications per million people in Malaysia?
- Annual patent applications per million people in Malaysia was 25.76 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 44.08 applications per million people in 2014.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5245 applications per million people in 1985.
- How does Malaysia rank for annual patent applications per million people?
- Malaysia ranks 50th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications per million people rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malaysia 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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