Patent applications by nonresidents — all countries

Patent applications by nonresidents — United States

Patent applications by nonresidents in the United States in 2021 — 329,229 filings. Ranked 1 in the world out of 121. Since 1980, the indicator has risen by 679.6%.

2021 329,229 filings +0.5% vs 2020
World rank 1of 121
Period maximum 336,340 filings2019
Period minimum 42,231 filings1980

Trend over time

1980–2021 · applications

Patent applications by nonresidents — United States, 1980–20210100,000200,000300,000400,0001980198519901995200020052010201520201980: 42,231 filings1981: 44,009 filings1982: 46,309 filings1983: 44,312 filings1984: 49,443 filings1985: 51,562 filings1986: 55,721 filings1987: 63,522 filings1988: 68,644 filings1989: 76,337 filings1990: 80,520 filings1991: 84,160 filings1992: 90,922 filings1993: 84,241 filings1994: 95,522 filings1995: 104,180 filings1996: 105,054 filings1997: 101,282 filings1998: 102,246 filings1999: 116,512 filings2000: 131,100 filings2001: 148,958 filings2002: 150,200 filings2003: 153,500 filings2004: 167,407 filings2005: 182,866 filings2006: 204,182 filings2007: 214,807 filings2008: 224,733 filings2009: 231,194 filings2010: 248,249 filings2011: 255,832 filings2012: 274,033 filings2013: 283,781 filings2014: 293,706 filings2015: 301,075 filings2016: 310,244 filings2017: 313,052 filings2018: 312,046 filings2019: 336,340 filings2020: 327,586 filings2021: 329,229 filings
Change over the period: +286,998 (+679.59%) Average annual rate: 5.14 %

Comparison, 2021

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United States

United States 329,229 filings
World 1.02M filings
High-income countries computed 614,590 filings
Patent applications by nonresidents — United States, by year United States All countries CSV XLSX
Year filings Change Change, %
2021 329,229 +1,643 +0.5%
2020 327,586 −8,754 −2.6%
2019 336,340 +24,294 +7.79%
2018 312,046 −1,006 −0.32%
2017 313,052 +2,808 +0.91%
2016 310,244 +9,169 +3.05%
2015 301,075 +7,369 +2.51%
2014 293,706 +9,925 +3.5%
2013 283,781 +9,748 +3.56%
2012 274,033 +18,201 +7.11%
2011 255,832 +7,583 +3.05%
2010 248,249 +17,055 +7.38%
2009 231,194 +6,461 +2.87%
2008 224,733 +9,926 +4.62%
2007 214,807 +10,625 +5.2%
2006 204,182 +21,316 +11.66%
2005 182,866 +15,459 +9.23%
2004 167,407 +13,907 +9.06%
2003 153,500 +3,300 +2.2%
2002 150,200 +1,242 +0.83%
2001 148,958 +17,858 +13.62%
2000 131,100 +14,588 +12.52%
1999 116,512 +14,266 +13.95%
1998 102,246 +964 +0.95%
1997 101,282 −3,772 −3.59%
1996 105,054 +874 +0.84%
1995 104,180 +8,658 +9.06%
1994 95,522 +11,281 +13.39%
1993 84,241 −6,681 −7.35%
1992 90,922 +6,762 +8.03%
1991 84,160 +3,640 +4.52%
1990 80,520 +4,183 +5.48%
1989 76,337 +7,693 +11.21%
1988 68,644 +5,122 +8.06%
1987 63,522 +7,801 +14%
1986 55,721 +4,159 +8.07%
1985 51,562 +2,119 +4.29%
1984 49,443 +5,131 +11.58%
1983 44,312 −1,997 −4.31%
1982 46,309 +2,300 +5.23%
1981 44,009 +1,778 +4.21%
1980 42,231

Northern America, 2021

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

US United States 329,229 CA Canada 32,445

About the indicator

The number of patent applications filed in a country by nonresident applicants. The indicator measures not the inventive activity of the country but the value of its market: a patent has force only where it is granted, so foreign companies file where they intend to sell or where they fear copying. The ratio to applications by residents splits countries into those that invent and those where others file.

Important: A measure of the appeal of a market, not of innovativeness. An application is not a patent: some applications are rejected, and the share of rejections differs across countries.

Source: IP Statistics (WIPO), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.