Patent applications, residents in China
China: Patent applications, residents was 1.43 million in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Patent applications, residents in China, 1985–2021
Source: WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans.
Analysis
The most recent figure for patent applications, residents in China is 1.43 million, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 6.1% on the previous year and up 243.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, patent applications, residents in China peaked at 1.43 million in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3,494, in 1986.
China ranks 1st of 135 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Patent applications, residents in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 4,065 | — |
| 1986 | 3,494 | -14.0% |
| 1987 | 3,975 | +13.8% |
| 1988 | 4,780 | +20.3% |
| 1989 | 4,749 | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 5,832 | +22.8% |
| 1991 | 7,372 | +26.4% |
| 1992 | 10,022 | +35.9% |
| 1993 | 12,084 | +20.6% |
| 1994 | 11,191 | -7.4% |
| 1995 | 10,011 | -10.5% |
| 1996 | 11,628 | +16.2% |
| 1997 | 12,672 | +9.0% |
| 1998 | 13,751 | +8.5% |
| 1999 | 15,626 | +13.6% |
| 2000 | 25,346 | +62.2% |
| 2001 | 30,038 | +18.5% |
| 2002 | 39,806 | +32.5% |
| 2003 | 56,769 | +42.6% |
| 2004 | 65,786 | +15.9% |
| 2005 | 93,485 | +42.1% |
| 2006 | 122,318 | +30.8% |
| 2007 | 153,060 | +25.1% |
| 2008 | 194,579 | +27.1% |
| 2009 | 229,096 | +17.7% |
| 2010 | 293,066 | +27.9% |
| 2011 | 415,829 | +41.9% |
| 2012 | 535,313 | +28.7% |
| 2013 | 704,936 | +31.7% |
| 2014 | 801,135 | +13.6% |
| 2015 | 968,252 | +20.9% |
| 2016 | 1.20 million | +24.4% |
| 2017 | 1.25 million | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 1.39 million | +11.9% |
| 2019 | 1.24 million | -10.8% |
| 2020 | 1.34 million | +8.1% |
| 2021 | 1.43 million | +6.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.43 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 109, 13088.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- China's 1.43 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 875, 1630.4× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4,213 | 3,494 | 4,780 | 5 |
| 1990s | 11,019 | 5,832 | 15,626 | 10 |
| 2000s | 101,028 | 25,346 | 229,096 | 10 |
| 2010s | 880,661 | 293,066 | 1.39 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.39 million | 1.34 million | 1.43 million | 2 |
Countries ranked near China
- 2 United States 262,244 compare
- 3 Japan 222,452 compare
- 4 South Korea 186,245 compare
More science & technology data for China
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 131.75 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.33 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 1.87 billion (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 194.33 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 2.73 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 2.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 932,712 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0007 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is patent applications, residents in China?
- Patent applications, residents in China was 1.43 million in 2021, according to WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans.
- What is the highest patent applications, residents recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.43 million in 2021.
- What is the lowest patent applications, residents recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,494 in 1986.
- How does China rank for patent applications, residents?
- China ranks 1st out of 135 countries with data for 2021.
- Is patent applications, residents rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 243.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans, published as part of Patent applications, residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.