Annual patent applications per million people in Malta
Malta: Annual patent applications per million people was 9.65 applications per million people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
9.65 applications per million people
Change on year
down 17.1%
World rank
74th
of 135 countries
All-time high
66.15 applications per million people
in 2001
All-time low
4.13 applications per million people
in 2018
Years of data
36
1980–2021
Annual patent applications per million people in Malta, 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
In 2021, annual patent applications per million people in Malta stood at 9.65 applications per million people.
That represents a change of down 17.1% on the previous year and down 55.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications per million people in Malta peaked at 66.15 applications per million people in 2001 and was at its lowest, 4.13 applications per million people, in 2018.
Malta ranks 74th 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 Malta, year by year
| Year | applications per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 22.11 applications per million people | — |
| 1981 | 18.81 applications per million people | -14.9% |
| 1982 | 9.21 applications per million people | -51.1% |
| 1983 | 12.1 applications per million people | +31.5% |
| 1986 | 14.61 applications per million people | +20.8% |
| 1987 | 14.51 applications per million people | -0.7% |
| 1988 | 8.64 applications per million people | -40.5% |
| 1989 | 5.7 applications per million people | -34.0% |
| 1990 | 5.65 applications per million people | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 16.49 applications per million people | +192.0% |
| 1992 | 8.16 applications per million people | -50.5% |
| 1993 | 21.55 applications per million people | +164.0% |
| 1994 | 56.03 applications per million people | +160.1% |
| 1995 | 29.15 applications per million people | -48.0% |
| 1996 | 15.79 applications per million people | -45.8% |
| 1997 | 57.47 applications per million people | +263.9% |
| 1998 | 20.76 applications per million people | -63.9% |
| 1999 | 28.38 applications per million people | +36.7% |
| 2000 | 58.96 applications per million people | +107.7% |
| 2001 | 66.15 applications per million people | +12.2% |
| 2002 | 55.56 applications per million people | -16.0% |
| 2007 | 24.59 applications per million people | -55.7% |
| 2008 | 34.2 applications per million people | +39.1% |
| 2009 | 19.39 applications per million people | -43.3% |
| 2010 | 28.95 applications per million people | +49.3% |
| 2011 | 21.62 applications per million people | -25.3% |
| 2012 | 26.19 applications per million people | +21.1% |
| 2013 | 30.6 applications per million people | +16.9% |
| 2014 | 11.53 applications per million people | -62.3% |
| 2015 | 20.26 applications per million people | +75.6% |
| 2016 | 6.6 applications per million people | -67.4% |
| 2017 | 10.7 applications per million people | +62.2% |
| 2018 | 4.13 applications per million people | -61.4% |
| 2019 | 9.92 applications per million people | +140.1% |
| 2020 | 11.64 applications per million people | +17.3% |
| 2021 | 9.65 applications per million people | -17.1% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 9.65 applications per million people is below the median for high income countries, which is 60.04 applications per million people, 16% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malta's 9.65 applications per million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 7.04 applications per million people, 1.4× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 13.21 applications per million people | 5.7 applications per million people | 22.11 applications per million people | 8 |
| 1990s | 25.94 applications per million people | 5.65 applications per million people | 57.47 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.14 applications per million people | 19.39 applications per million people | 66.15 applications per million people | 6 |
| 2010s | 17.05 applications per million people | 4.13 applications per million people | 30.6 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.64 applications per million people | 9.65 applications per million people | 11.64 applications per million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 71 Azerbaijan 11.74 applications per million people compare
- 72 Vietnam 10.77 applications per million people compare
- 73 Bahamas 10.24 applications per million people compare
- 75 Albania 9.24 applications per million people compare
- 76 Argentina 8.96 applications per million people compare
- 77 Mexico 8.75 applications per million people compare
More science & technology data for Malta
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 142.07 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.35 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 766,620 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 2,342 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 1.05 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 2.31 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 13 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 13 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications per million people in Malta?
- Annual patent applications per million people in Malta was 9.65 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 66.15 applications per million people in 2001.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.13 applications per million people in 2018.
- How does Malta rank for annual patent applications per million people?
- Malta ranks 74th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications per million people rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malta 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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