Annual patent applications per million people in Zambia
Zambia: Annual patent applications per million people was 0.6631 applications per million people in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2021)
0.6631 applications per million people
Change on year
down 25.7%
World rank
118th
of 135 countries
All-time high
2 applications per million people
in 2008
All-time low
0.0882 applications per million people
in 2004
Years of data
34
1980–2021
Annual patent applications per million people in Zambia, 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 Zambia is 0.6631 applications per million people, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 25.7% on the previous year and up 219.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual patent applications per million people in Zambia peaked at 2 applications per million people in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.0882 applications per million people, in 2004.
That places Zambia 118th out of 135 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual patent applications per million people in Zambia, year by year
| Year | applications per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.3447 applications per million people | — |
| 1981 | 0.1671 applications per million people | -51.5% |
| 1982 | 0.1618 applications per million people | -3.2% |
| 1983 | 0.1567 applications per million people | -3.2% |
| 1988 | 0.947 applications per million people | +504.3% |
| 1989 | 0.3953 applications per million people | -58.3% |
| 1990 | 0.899 applications per million people | +127.4% |
| 1991 | 0.1253 applications per million people | -86.1% |
| 1992 | 0.8561 applications per million people | +583.3% |
| 1993 | 0.4777 applications per million people | -44.2% |
| 1995 | 0.4553 applications per million people | -4.7% |
| 1996 | 0.6664 applications per million people | +46.4% |
| 1999 | 0.5133 applications per million people | -23.0% |
| 2001 | 0.5811 applications per million people | +13.2% |
| 2002 | 0.2817 applications per million people | -51.5% |
| 2003 | 0.2731 applications per million people | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 0.0882 applications per million people | -67.7% |
| 2005 | 0.4267 applications per million people | +383.8% |
| 2006 | 0.3298 applications per million people | -22.7% |
| 2007 | 1.51 applications per million people | +358.5% |
| 2008 | 2 applications per million people | +32.0% |
| 2009 | 0.6671 applications per million people | -66.6% |
| 2010 | 0.358 applications per million people | -46.3% |
| 2011 | 0.2078 applications per million people | -42.0% |
| 2012 | 0.4694 applications per million people | +125.9% |
| 2013 | 0.8442 applications per million people | +79.9% |
| 2014 | 0.8808 applications per million people | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 1.22 applications per million people | +38.5% |
| 2016 | 0.8868 applications per million people | -27.3% |
| 2017 | 0.688 applications per million people | -22.4% |
| 2018 | 0.612 applications per million people | -11.0% |
| 2019 | 0.108 applications per million people | -82.3% |
| 2020 | 0.8919 applications per million people | +725.7% |
| 2021 | 0.6631 applications per million people | -25.7% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 0.6631 applications per million people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.54 applications per million people, 43% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 0.6631 applications per million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.9972 applications per million people, 66% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual patent applications per million people in Zambia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +725.7% | 0.108 applications per million people | 0.8919 applications per million people |
| 1992 | +583.3% | 0.1253 applications per million people | 0.8561 applications per million people |
| 1988 | +504.3% | 0.1567 applications per million people | 0.947 applications per million people |
| 2005 | +383.8% | 0.0882 applications per million people | 0.4267 applications per million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.3621 applications per million people | 0.1567 applications per million people | 0.947 applications per million people | 6 |
| 1990s | 0.5704 applications per million people | 0.1253 applications per million people | 0.899 applications per million people | 7 |
| 2000s | 0.6841 applications per million people | 0.0882 applications per million people | 2 applications per million people | 9 |
| 2010s | 0.6275 applications per million people | 0.108 applications per million people | 1.22 applications per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7775 applications per million people | 0.6631 applications per million people | 0.8919 applications per million people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 115 Honduras 0.8192 applications per million people compare
- 116 Cyprus 0.7591 applications per million people compare
- 117 Nepal 0.714 applications per million people compare
- 119 Dominican Republic 0.6293 applications per million people compare
- 120 Zimbabwe 0.5479 applications per million people compare
- 121 Yemen 0.5385 applications per million people compare
More science & technology data for Zambia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 108.7 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.09 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0009 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 23.17 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 28.45 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 6.51 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 9.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 367.3 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual patent applications per million people in Zambia?
- Annual patent applications per million people in Zambia was 0.6631 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 2 applications per million people in 2008.
- What is the lowest annual patent applications per million people recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0882 applications per million people in 2004.
- How does Zambia rank for annual patent applications per million people?
- Zambia ranks 118th out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is annual patent applications per million people rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 219.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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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