Annual patent applications per million people in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Annual patent applications per million people was 45.41 applications per million people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
45.41 applications per million people
Change on year
up 10.7%
World rank
38th
of 135 countries
All-time high
45.41 applications per million people
in 2021
All-time low
1.18 applications per million people
in 1989
Years of data
30
1989–2021
Annual patent applications per million people in Saudi Arabia, 1989–2021
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 Saudi Arabia is 45.41 applications per million people, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 30 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.7% on the previous year and up 228.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications per million people in Saudi Arabia peaked at 45.41 applications per million people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.18 applications per million people, in 1989.
Saudi Arabia ranks 38th 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | applications per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 1.18 applications per million people | — |
| 1990 | 1.5 applications per million people | +26.9% |
| 1991 | 2.42 applications per million people | +60.9% |
| 1992 | 1.8 applications per million people | -25.7% |
| 1993 | 1.72 applications per million people | -4.3% |
| 1994 | 2.59 applications per million people | +50.6% |
| 1995 | 2.11 applications per million people | -18.6% |
| 1996 | 1.95 applications per million people | -7.3% |
| 1997 | 3.97 applications per million people | +103.1% |
| 1998 | 3.02 applications per million people | -23.9% |
| 1999 | 4.65 applications per million people | +54.3% |
| 2000 | 4.7 applications per million people | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 2.7 applications per million people | -42.5% |
| 2002 | 3.41 applications per million people | +26.2% |
| 2003 | 2.98 applications per million people | -12.5% |
| 2004 | 4.12 applications per million people | +38.2% |
| 2005 | 5.79 applications per million people | +40.6% |
| 2006 | 5.55 applications per million people | -4.2% |
| 2007 | 5.72 applications per million people | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 12.01 applications per million people | +109.9% |
| 2011 | 13.83 applications per million people | +15.1% |
| 2013 | 17.77 applications per million people | +28.5% |
| 2014 | 23.03 applications per million people | +29.6% |
| 2015 | 23.98 applications per million people | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 34.57 applications per million people | +44.1% |
| 2017 | 29.34 applications per million people | -15.1% |
| 2018 | 35.7 applications per million people | +21.7% |
| 2019 | 39.52 applications per million people | +10.7% |
| 2020 | 41.01 applications per million people | +3.8% |
| 2021 | 45.41 applications per million people | +10.7% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 45.41 applications per million people is below the median for high income countries, which is 60.04 applications per million people, 76% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 45.41 applications per million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 7.04 applications per million people, 6.5× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.18 applications per million people | 1.18 applications per million people | 1.18 applications per million people | 1 |
| 1990s | 2.57 applications per million people | 1.5 applications per million people | 4.65 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.37 applications per million people | 2.7 applications per million people | 5.79 applications per million people | 8 |
| 2010s | 25.53 applications per million people | 12.01 applications per million people | 39.52 applications per million people | 9 |
| 2020s | 43.21 applications per million people | 41.01 applications per million people | 45.41 applications per million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 35 Hong Kong 54.09 applications per million people compare
- 36 Czechia 51.5 applications per million people compare
- 37 Guyana 49.05 applications per million people compare
- 39 Hungary 44.96 applications per million people compare
- 40 Kazakhstan 41.22 applications per million people compare
- 41 Romania 40.37 applications per million people compare
More science & technology data for Saudi Arabia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 159.54 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.53 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 54.18 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 24.41 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 1.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 24,595 (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 Saudi Arabia?
- Annual patent applications per million people in Saudi Arabia was 45.41 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 45.41 applications per million people in 2021.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.18 applications per million people in 1989.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for annual patent applications per million people?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 38th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications per million people rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 228.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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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