Patent applications, residents in World
World: Patent applications, residents was 2.70 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Patent applications, residents in World, 1985–2024
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
World recorded 2.70 million for patent applications, residents in 2024. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
That represents a change of up 6.8% on the previous year and up 49.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, patent applications, residents in World peaked at 2.70 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 601,000, in 1991.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Patent applications, residents in World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 651,100 | — |
| 1986 | 675,000 | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 712,400 | +5.5% |
| 1988 | 714,900 | +0.4% |
| 1989 | 705,400 | -1.3% |
| 1990 | 687,700 | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 601,000 | -12.6% |
| 1992 | 635,700 | +5.8% |
| 1993 | 649,200 | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 637,000 | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 703,600 | +10.5% |
| 1996 | 708,400 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 738,300 | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 757,500 | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 793,300 | +4.7% |
| 2000 | 864,300 | +8.9% |
| 2001 | 885,600 | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 881,600 | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 917,500 | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 964,900 | +5.2% |
| 2005 | 1.03 million | +7.1% |
| 2006 | 1.07 million | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 1.12 million | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 1.16 million | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 1.15 million | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 1.24 million | +8.1% |
| 2011 | 1.37 million | +10.4% |
| 2012 | 1.52 million | +11.1% |
| 2013 | 1.71 million | +12.5% |
| 2014 | 1.81 million | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 1.98 million | +9.7% |
| 2016 | 2.22 million | +12.3% |
| 2017 | 2.26 million | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 2.40 million | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 2.26 million | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 2.33 million | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 2.40 million | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 2.43 million | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 2.53 million | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 2.70 million | +6.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 691,760 | 651,100 | 714,900 | 5 |
| 1990s | 691,170 | 601,000 | 793,300 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.00 million | 864,300 | 1.16 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.88 million | 1.24 million | 2.40 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.48 million | 2.33 million | 2.70 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near World
- 1 China 1.67 million compare
- 2 United States 270,295 compare
- 3 Japan 237,169 compare
- 4 South Korea 195,786 compare
More science & technology data for World
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 1.02 million (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 1.02 million (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, per capita 0.0001 units per person (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, per square kilometre 0.0079 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 3.27 million (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per square kilometre 0.0252 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Digital connectivity composite index 0.1245 standard deviations from the yearly mean (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is patent applications, residents in World?
- Patent applications, residents in World was 2.70 million in 2024, 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 World?
- The highest recorded value was 2.70 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest patent applications, residents recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 601,000 in 1991.
- How does World rank for patent applications, residents?
- World ranks 1st out of 12 groups with data for 2024.
- Is patent applications, residents rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this World 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.
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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.