Patents by WIPO technology domains — Patent applications in Germany

Germany: Patents by WIPO technology domains — Patent applications was 18,453 Patents in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
18,453 Patents
Change on year
down 13.5%
World rank
2nd
of 88 countries
All-time high
24,126 Patents
in 2007
All-time low
1,189 Patents
in 1978
Years of data
46
1978–2023

Patents by WIPO technology domains — Patent applications in Germany, 1978–2023

05.0k10.0k15.0k20.0k25.0k197820002023

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Patents.

Analysis

In 2023, patents by wipo technology domains — patent applications in Germany stood at 18,453 Patents.

That represents a change of down 13.5% on the previous year and down 17.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, patents by wipo technology domains — patent applications in Germany peaked at 24,126 Patents in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1,189 Patents, in 1978.

That places Germany 2nd out of 88 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 46 years of available data.

Patents by WIPO technology domains — Patent applications in Germany, year by year

Annual values for Patents by WIPO technology domains — Patent applications in Germany, 1978 to 2023.
Year Patents Change
1978 1,189 Patents —
1979 3,405 Patents +186.5%
1980 5,118 Patents +50.3%
1981 6,266 Patents +22.4%
1982 6,304 Patents +0.6%
1983 6,544 Patents +3.8%
1984 8,160 Patents +24.7%
1985 8,115 Patents -0.6%
1986 9,247 Patents +13.9%
1987 9,717 Patents +5.1%
1988 11,155 Patents +14.8%
1989 12,121 Patents +8.7%
1990 12,643 Patents +4.3%
1991 10,385 Patents -17.9%
1992 11,091 Patents +6.8%
1993 11,198 Patents +1.0%
1994 11,421 Patents +2.0%
1995 12,222 Patents +7.0%
1996 12,882 Patents +5.4%
1997 15,317 Patents +18.9%
1998 17,639 Patents +15.2%
1999 19,227 Patents +9.0%
2000 21,131 Patents +9.9%
2001 21,861 Patents +3.5%
2002 21,528 Patents -1.5%
2003 21,405 Patents -0.6%
2004 21,803 Patents +1.9%
2005 22,638 Patents +3.8%
2006 23,664 Patents +4.5%
2007 24,126 Patents +2.0%
2008 24,068 Patents -0.2%
2009 22,589 Patents -6.1%
2010 23,664 Patents +4.8%
2011 24,096 Patents +1.8%
2012 23,521 Patents -2.4%
2013 22,419 Patents -4.7%
2014 22,325 Patents -0.4%
2015 21,974 Patents -1.6%
2016 22,244 Patents +1.2%
2017 22,992 Patents +3.4%
2018 23,626 Patents +2.8%
2019 22,632 Patents -4.2%
2020 22,532 Patents -0.4%
2021 21,823 Patents -3.1%
2022 21,339 Patents -2.2%
2023 18,453 Patents -13.5%

Germany compared with similar countries

  • Germany's 18,453 Patents is above the median for high income countries, which is 134.16 Patents, 137.5× the median. (45 countries reporting)
  • Germany's 18,453 Patents is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 106.83 Patents, 172.7× the median. (33 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Patents by WIPO technology domains — Patent applications in Germany 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.

YearChange FromTo
1979 +186.5% 1,189 Patents 3,405 Patents
1980 +50.3% 3,405 Patents 5,118 Patents

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 2,297 Patents 1,189 Patents 3,405 Patents 2
1980s 8,275 Patents 5,118 Patents 12,121 Patents 10
1990s 13,402 Patents 10,385 Patents 19,227 Patents 10
2000s 22,481 Patents 21,131 Patents 24,126 Patents 10
2010s 22,949 Patents 21,974 Patents 24,096 Patents 10
2020s 21,036 Patents 18,453 Patents 22,532 Patents 4

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 1 United States 32,970 Patents compare
  2. 1 OECD 121,552 Patents compare
  3. 3 United Kingdom 4,653 Patents compare
  4. 3 Japan 15,250 Patents compare
  5. 4 China 13,210 Patents compare
  6. 4 Netherlands 4,269 Patents compare
  7. 5 Poland 508.37 Patents compare
  8. 5 France 7,903 Patents compare

See the full ranking of 104 places →

More science & technology data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is patents by wipo technology domains — patent applications in Germany?
Patents by wipo technology domains — patent applications in Germany was 18,453 Patents in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest patents by wipo technology domains — patent applications recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 24,126 Patents in 2007.
What is the lowest patents by wipo technology domains — patent applications recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 1,189 Patents in 1978.
How does Germany rank for patents by wipo technology domains — patent applications?
Germany ranks 2nd out of 88 countries with data for 2023.
Is patents by wipo technology domains — patent applications rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is down 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Germany data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Patents by WIPO technology domains — Patent applications. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Patents by WIPO technology domains — Patent applications in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 06 October 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/patents-by-wipo-technology-domains-patent-applications/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Patents by WIPO technology domains — Patent applications
Unit
Patents
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
104 places, 4,784 data points, 1978–2023
Last refreshed

Patent counts by technology domains developed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)