Annual patent applications per million people in Portugal
Portugal: Annual patent applications per million people was 68.62 applications per million people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
68.62 applications per million people
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
32nd
of 135 countries
All-time high
89.3 applications per million people
in 2015
All-time low
5.39 applications per million people
in 1988
Years of data
42
1980–2021
Annual patent applications per million people in Portugal, 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 Portugal is 68.62 applications per million people, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 26.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications per million people in Portugal peaked at 89.3 applications per million people in 2015 and was at its lowest, 5.39 applications per million people, in 1988.
Portugal ranks 32nd 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 Portugal, year by year
| Year | applications per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 9.42 applications per million people | — |
| 1981 | 9.14 applications per million people | -3.0% |
| 1982 | 9.28 applications per million people | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 9.14 applications per million people | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 9.6 applications per million people | +5.1% |
| 1985 | 8.48 applications per million people | -11.7% |
| 1986 | 7.67 applications per million people | -9.5% |
| 1987 | 6.08 applications per million people | -20.8% |
| 1988 | 5.39 applications per million people | -11.4% |
| 1989 | 8.6 applications per million people | +59.5% |
| 1990 | 10.12 applications per million people | +17.7% |
| 1991 | 10.24 applications per million people | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 6.93 applications per million people | -32.3% |
| 1993 | 8.83 applications per million people | +27.4% |
| 1994 | 10.31 applications per million people | +16.7% |
| 1995 | 8.08 applications per million people | -21.6% |
| 1996 | 8.55 applications per million people | +5.8% |
| 1997 | 7.02 applications per million people | -17.8% |
| 1998 | 9.45 applications per million people | +34.5% |
| 1999 | 7.93 applications per million people | -16.1% |
| 2000 | 7.87 applications per million people | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 10.33 applications per million people | +31.2% |
| 2002 | 12.48 applications per million people | +20.8% |
| 2003 | 11.95 applications per million people | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 11.73 applications per million people | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 15.04 applications per million people | +28.2% |
| 2006 | 17.49 applications per million people | +16.2% |
| 2007 | 23.71 applications per million people | +35.6% |
| 2008 | 36.09 applications per million people | +52.2% |
| 2009 | 54.03 applications per million people | +49.7% |
| 2010 | 47.2 applications per million people | -12.6% |
| 2011 | 54.08 applications per million people | +14.6% |
| 2012 | 59.06 applications per million people | +9.2% |
| 2013 | 61.87 applications per million people | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 69.42 applications per million people | +12.2% |
| 2015 | 89.3 applications per million people | +28.6% |
| 2016 | 70.12 applications per million people | -21.5% |
| 2017 | 62.52 applications per million people | -10.8% |
| 2018 | 64.28 applications per million people | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 68.34 applications per million people | +6.3% |
| 2020 | 67.49 applications per million people | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 68.62 applications per million people | +1.7% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 68.62 applications per million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 60.04 applications per million people, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 68.62 applications per million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 41.22 applications per million people, 1.7× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.28 applications per million people | 5.39 applications per million people | 9.6 applications per million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.75 applications per million people | 6.93 applications per million people | 10.31 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.07 applications per million people | 7.87 applications per million people | 54.03 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.62 applications per million people | 47.2 applications per million people | 89.3 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.06 applications per million people | 67.49 applications per million people | 68.62 applications per million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
- 29 Poland 91.32 applications per million people compare
- 30 Iceland 91.27 applications per million people compare
- 31 Belgium 68.96 applications per million people compare
- 33 New Zealand 64.9 applications per million people compare
- 34 Latvia 55.19 applications per million people compare
- 35 Hong Kong 54.09 applications per million people compare
More science & technology data for Portugal
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 124.13 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.21 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 12.94 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 140.06 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.9171 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.8644 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 18,225 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0017 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications per million people in Portugal?
- Annual patent applications per million people in Portugal was 68.62 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 89.3 applications per million people in 2015.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.39 applications per million people in 1988.
- How does Portugal rank for annual patent applications per million people?
- Portugal ranks 32nd out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications per million people rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal 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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