Patents - technology diffusion in South Africa
South Africa: Patents - technology diffusion was 4,592 Patents in 2023. ▼ Falling
Patents - technology diffusion in South Africa, 1990–2023
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Patents.
Analysis
The most recent figure for patents - technology diffusion in South Africa is 4,592 Patents, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 15.2% on the previous year and down 35.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, patents - technology diffusion in South Africa peaked at 8,108 Patents in 2004 and was at its lowest, 3,380 Patents, in 1999.
That places South Africa 13th out of 104 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Patents - technology diffusion in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Patents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 5,896 Patents | — |
| 1991 | 5,680 Patents | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 5,422 Patents | -4.5% |
| 1993 | 5,097 Patents | -6.0% |
| 1994 | 5,520 Patents | +8.3% |
| 1995 | 6,337 Patents | +14.8% |
| 1996 | 6,623 Patents | +4.5% |
| 1997 | 6,972 Patents | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 7,202 Patents | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 3,380 Patents | -53.1% |
| 2000 | 3,513 Patents | +3.9% |
| 2001 | 6,126 Patents | +74.4% |
| 2002 | 6,430 Patents | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 6,436 Patents | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 8,108 Patents | +26.0% |
| 2005 | 7,194 Patents | -11.3% |
| 2006 | 7,523 Patents | +4.6% |
| 2007 | 7,100 Patents | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 6,130 Patents | -13.7% |
| 2009 | 4,813 Patents | -21.5% |
| 2010 | 7,262 Patents | +50.9% |
| 2011 | 7,792 Patents | +7.3% |
| 2012 | 7,346 Patents | -5.7% |
| 2013 | 7,062 Patents | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 7,097 Patents | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 5,959 Patents | -16.0% |
| 2016 | 3,793 Patents | -36.3% |
| 2017 | 4,494 Patents | +18.5% |
| 2018 | 6,130 Patents | +36.4% |
| 2019 | 5,600 Patents | -8.6% |
| 2020 | 4,470 Patents | -20.2% |
| 2021 | 5,348 Patents | +19.6% |
| 2022 | 5,418 Patents | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 4,592 Patents | -15.2% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 4,592 Patents is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 14 Patents, 328.0× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 4,592 Patents is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2 Patents, 2296.0× the median. (8 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Patents - technology diffusion in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | +74.4% | 3,513 Patents | 6,126 Patents |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5,813 Patents | 3,380 Patents | 7,202 Patents | 10 |
| 2000s | 6,337 Patents | 3,513 Patents | 8,108 Patents | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,254 Patents | 3,793 Patents | 7,792 Patents | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,957 Patents | 4,470 Patents | 5,418 Patents | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More science & technology data for South Africa
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 179.34 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 89.37 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 14,949 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is patents - technology diffusion in South Africa?
- Patents - technology diffusion in South Africa was 4,592 Patents in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest patents - technology diffusion recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 8,108 Patents in 2004.
- What is the lowest patents - technology diffusion recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,380 Patents in 1999.
- How does South Africa rank for patents - technology diffusion?
- South Africa ranks 13th out of 104 countries with data for 2023.
- Is patents - technology diffusion rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Patents - technology diffusion. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Patent statistics and indicators are suitable for tracking innovation in environment-related technologies. They allow the assessment of countries' innovation performance as well as the design of governments' environmental and innovation policies. This dataset presents data on patent applications by patent office. For more information on the methodology, click the link below on "Database documentation" Data source(s): OECD, STI Micro-data Lab: Intellectual Property Database, http://oe.cd/ipstats Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org Dataset release date: April 16, 2026 Database documentation