Patent applications, residents by country
Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides...
Countries reporting
139
Highest
1.67 million
China
Lowest
1
Samoa
Median
98
Years covered
45
1980–2024
Data points
4,717
What the numbers show
Patent applications, residents is currently reported for 139 countries. The highest value is 1.67 million in China; the lowest is 1 in Samoa.
The median across all reporting countries is 98, and the mean is 18,810.
Over the past decade 53 countries rose and 79 fell. The largest increase was in Ethiopia (up 3,200.0%), and the largest decrease in Brunei (down 96.2%).
Patent applications, residents: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 1.67 million | 2024 | up 108.7% | volatile |
| 2 | United States | 270,295 | 2024 | down 7.2% | volatile |
| 3 | Japan | 237,169 | 2024 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 4 | South Korea | 195,786 | 2024 | up 19.3% | volatile |
| 5 | India | 63,217 | 2024 | up 425.1% | volatile |
| 6 | Germany | 40,085 | 2024 | down 16.8% | rising |
| 7 | Russia | 21,502 | 2024 | down 10.7% | flat |
| 8 | France | 12,751 | 2024 | down 12.1% | rising |
| 9 | United Kingdom | 11,105 | 2024 | down 26.9% | falling |
| 10 | Turkey | 10,004 | 2024 | up 109.9% | volatile |
| 11 | Italy | 9,120 | 2024 | up 6.0% | rising |
| 12 | Iran | 8,314 | 2024 | down 39.2% | volatile |
| 13 | North Korea | 6,936 | 2024 | down 17.0% | flat |
| 14 | Brazil | 5,752 | 2024 | up 23.5% | rising |
| 15 | Canada | 4,304 | 2024 | up 2.5% | rising |
| 16 | Poland | 3,363 | 2024 | down 14.7% | falling |
| 17 | Saudi Arabia | 3,108 | 2024 | up 376.7% | volatile |
| 18 | Australia | 2,542 | 2024 | up 27.9% | rising |
| 19 | Indonesia | 1,931 | 2024 | up 175.1% | volatile |
| 20 | Singapore | 1,898 | 2024 | up 45.7% | volatile |
| 21 | Sweden | 1,851 | 2024 | down 6.7% | falling |
| 22 | Netherlands | 1,781 | 2024 | down 22.4% | rising |
| 23 | Finland | 1,770 | 2024 | up 24.7% | falling |
| 24 | Austria | 1,676 | 2024 | down 19.9% | falling |
| 25 | Israel | 1,448 | 2024 | up 28.7% | rising |
| 26 | Vietnam | 1,226 | 2024 | up 151.7% | volatile |
| 27 | Switzerland | 1,191 | 2024 | down 19.5% | falling |
| 28 | Mexico | 1,172 | 2024 | down 5.9% | rising |
| 29 | Spain | 1,160 | 2024 | down 60.7% | rising |
| 30 | Algeria | 1,084 | 2024 | up 1,053.2% | volatile |
| 31 | Denmark | 987 | 2024 | down 28.3% | rising |
| 32 | Ukraine | 969 | 2024 | down 60.6% | volatile |
| 33 | Thailand | 930 | 2024 | down 7.6% | volatile |
| 34 | Philippines | 873 | 2024 | up 161.4% | volatile |
| 35 | Kazakhstan | 841 | 2024 | down 51.7% | falling |
| 35 | Malaysia | 841 | 2024 | down 37.8% | volatile |
| 37 | Romania | 747 | 2024 | down 21.5% | volatile |
| 38 | Portugal | 743 | 2024 | up 2.9% | volatile |
| 39 | Norway | 732 | 2024 | down 33.8% | rising |
| 40 | Belgium | 647 | 2024 | down 27.2% | flat |
| 41 | Egypt | 563 | 2024 | down 25.1% | volatile |
| 42 | Iraq | 556 | 2024 | up 66.0% | volatile |
| 43 | Uzbekistan | 507 | 2024 | up 47.0% | volatile |
| 44 | Hong Kong | 495 | 2024 | up 157.8% | volatile |
| 45 | Hungary | 480 | 2024 | down 12.1% | volatile |
| 45 | Pakistan | 480 | 2024 | up 228.8% | volatile |
| 47 | Czechia | 463 | 2024 | down 49.1% | flat |
| 48 | Argentina | 445 | 2024 | down 12.6% | falling |
| 49 | Nigeria | 410 | 2020 | up 540.6% | volatile |
| 50 | Kenya | 396 | 2024 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 51 | Chile | 390 | 2024 | down 13.7% | rising |
| 52 | Greece | 366 | 2024 | down 43.8% | volatile |
| 53 | South Africa | 350 | 2024 | down 56.4% | volatile |
| 54 | Morocco | 343 | 2024 | down 3.4% | volatile |
| 55 | United Arab Emirates | 278 | 2024 | up 858.6% | volatile |
| 55 | New Zealand | 278 | 2024 | down 83.0% | falling |
| 57 | Colombia | 270 | 2024 | up 3.8% | volatile |
| 58 | Belarus | 256 | 2024 | down 60.7% | volatile |
| 59 | Sri Lanka | 253 | 2024 | down 22.9% | volatile |
| 60 | Tunisia | 225 | 2024 | up 58.5% | volatile |
| 61 | Peru | 214 | 2024 | up 157.8% | volatile |
| 62 | Azerbaijan | 194 | 2024 | up 15.5% | falling |
| 63 | Bulgaria | 179 | 2024 | down 17.9% | volatile |
| 64 | Slovakia | 167 | 2024 | down 20.9% | falling |
| 65 | Slovenia | 154 | 2024 | down 67.2% | falling |
| 66 | Sudan | 153 | 2020 | down 39.3% | volatile |
| 67 | Serbia | 139 | 2024 | down 31.2% | falling |
| 68 | Luxembourg | 119 | 2024 | down 7.0% | volatile |
| 69 | Syria | 104 | 2024 | down 47.5% | volatile |
| 70 | Oman | 98 | 2024 | up 1,860.0% | volatile |
| 71 | Georgia | 94 | 2024 | down 14.5% | volatile |
| 72 | Mongolia | 89 | 2024 | down 36.0% | rising |
| 73 | Bangladesh | 87 | 2024 | up 97.7% | rising |
| 74 | Latvia | 84 | 2024 | down 18.4% | falling |
| 75 | Ireland | 68 | 2024 | down 13.9% | volatile |
| 76 | Kyrgyzstan | 67 | 2024 | down 49.2% | falling |
| 77 | Ethiopia | 66 | 2024 | up 3,200.0% | volatile |
| 78 | Venezuela | 63 | 2024 | up 14.5% | volatile |
| 79 | Croatia | 62 | 2024 | down 63.5% | falling |
| 80 | Lithuania | 58 | 2024 | down 52.8% | volatile |
| 81 | Ecuador | 53 | 2024 | up 120.8% | volatile |
| 82 | Iceland | 38 | 2024 | down 25.5% | rising |
| 83 | Moldova | 35 | 2024 | down 47.8% | volatile |
| 84 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 34 | 2024 | down 17.1% | rising |
| 85 | Kuwait | 30 | 2024 | up 130.8% | volatile |
| 86 | Estonia | 27 | 2024 | down 38.6% | volatile |
| 87 | Zimbabwe | 26 | 2024 | up 188.9% | falling |
| 88 | North Macedonia | 25 | 2024 | down 40.5% | falling |
| 89 | Uganda | 22 | 2024 | up 340.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Qatar | 21 | 2024 | up 320.0% | volatile |
| 91 | Nepal | 20 | 2017 | up 150.0% | volatile |
| 92 | Zambia | 18 | 2024 | up 28.6% | volatile |
| 93 | Costa Rica | 15 | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 93 | Montenegro | 15 | 2024 | up 15.4% | volatile |
| 93 | Paraguay | 15 | 2024 | down 16.7% | volatile |
| 96 | Jordan | 14 | 2024 | down 65.0% | falling |
| 97 | Armenia | 13 | 2024 | down 89.3% | falling |
| 97 | Uruguay | 13 | 2024 | down 59.4% | falling |
| 99 | Cuba | 12 | 2024 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 99 | Libya | 12 | 1996 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 99 | San Marino | 12 | 2024 | up 200.0% | flat |
| 102 | Dominican Republic | 11 | 2024 | down 31.2% | falling |
| 102 | Panama | 11 | 2024 | down 15.4% | volatile |
| 102 | Yemen | 11 | 2023 | down 74.4% | volatile |
| 105 | Bolivia | 10 | 2022 | up 11.1% | volatile |
| 105 | Botswana | 10 | 2023 | up 25.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Mozambique | 10 | 2024 | down 28.6% | volatile |
| 108 | Albania | 9 | 2023 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 108 | Malta | 9 | 2024 | up 80.0% | volatile |
| 110 | Guatemala | 8 | 2024 | down 20.0% | volatile |
| 110 | Honduras | 8 | 2018 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 110 | Macao | 8 | 2024 | up 300.0% | volatile |
| 110 | Rwanda | 8 | 2024 | up 60.0% | volatile |
| 114 | Mauritius | 7 | 2024 | up 133.3% | volatile |
| 115 | Bahrain | 6 | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
| 115 | Bhutan | 6 | 2024 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 115 | Ghana | 6 | 2023 | down 57.1% | falling |
| 115 | El Salvador | 6 | 2024 | down 14.3% | volatile |
| 119 | Bahamas | 4 | 2017 | up 33.3% | flat |
| 120 | Cyprus | 3 | 2024 | down 25.0% | volatile |
| 120 | Jamaica | 3 | 2024 | down 90.9% | volatile |
| 120 | Madagascar | 3 | 2024 | down 40.0% | volatile |
| 120 | Malawi | 3 | 2016 | — | volatile |
| 120 | Trinidad and Tobago | 3 | 2024 | down 25.0% | volatile |
| 125 | Burkina Faso | 2 | 2010 | unchanged | falling |
| 125 | Guyana | 2 | 2024 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 125 | Haiti | 2 | 2014 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 125 | Monaco | 2 | 2024 | down 66.7% | volatile |
| 129 | Andorra | 1 | 2024 | unchanged | falling |
| 129 | Burundi | 1 | 2022 | down 66.7% | rising |
| 129 | Barbados | 1 | 2022 | down 66.7% | volatile |
| 129 | Brunei | 1 | 2024 | down 96.2% | volatile |
| 129 | Cape Verde | 1 | 2024 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 129 | Cambodia | 1 | 2024 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Laos | 1 | 2023 | unchanged | volatile |
| 129 | Namibia | 1 | 2024 | down 92.3% | volatile |
| 129 | Nicaragua | 1 | 2014 | down 92.9% | volatile |
| 129 | Tajikistan | 1 | 2019 | down 90.9% | volatile |
| 129 | Samoa | 1 | 2021 | unchanged | falling |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- World 2.70 million
- East Asia & Pacific 2.12 million
- Upper middle income 1.71 million
- High income 918,140
- North America 274,599
- Europe & Central Asia 214,026
- Lower middle income 66,000
- South Asia 63,563
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 16,724
- Latin America & Caribbean 8,458
- Low income 7,341
- Sub-Saharan Africa 1,100
About this data
Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years.