Patent applications by nonresidents — all countries

Patent applications by nonresidents — World

Patent applications by nonresidents in the world in 2021 — 1,015,900 filings. Since 1985, the indicator has risen by 275.3%.

2021 1.02M filings +4.69% vs 2020
World rank
Period maximum 1.02M filings2021
Period minimum 270,700 filings1985

Trend over time

1985–2021 · applications

Patent applications by nonresidents — World, 1985–20210500,0001M1.5M19851989199319972001200520092013201720211985: 270,700 filings1986: 272,700 filings1987: 282,500 filings1988: 294,800 filings1989: 309,000 filings1990: 309,800 filings1991: 287,200 filings1992: 307,900 filings1993: 294,100 filings1994: 305,800 filings1995: 345,000 filings1996: 380,800 filings1997: 426,100 filings1998: 458,500 filings1999: 477,200 filings2000: 502,700 filings2001: 560,400 filings2002: 555,000 filings2003: 559,100 filings2004: 601,600 filings2005: 664,400 filings2006: 716,500 filings2007: 749,700 filings2008: 767,800 filings2009: 709,500 filings2010: 760,500 filings2011: 793,000 filings2012: 836,800 filings2013: 855,400 filings2014: 880,700 filings2015: 913,700 filings2016: 909,900 filings2017: 917,600 filings2018: 946,300 filings2019: 993,600 filings2020: 970,400 filings2021: 1,015,900 filings
Change over the period: +745,200 (+275.29%) Average annual rate: 3.74 %

Comparison, 2021

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

World 1.02M filings
World 1.02M filings
Patent applications by nonresidents — World, by year World All countries CSV XLSX
Year filings Change Change, %
2021 1.02M +45,500 +4.69%
2020 970,400 −23,200 −2.33%
2019 993,600 +47,300 +5%
2018 946,300 +28,700 +3.13%
2017 917,600 +7,700 +0.85%
2016 909,900 −3,800 −0.42%
2015 913,700 +33,000 +3.75%
2014 880,700 +25,300 +2.96%
2013 855,400 +18,600 +2.22%
2012 836,800 +43,800 +5.52%
2011 793,000 +32,500 +4.27%
2010 760,500 +51,000 +7.19%
2009 709,500 −58,300 −7.59%
2008 767,800 +18,100 +2.41%
2007 749,700 +33,200 +4.63%
2006 716,500 +52,100 +7.84%
2005 664,400 +62,800 +10.44%
2004 601,600 +42,500 +7.6%
2003 559,100 +4,100 +0.74%
2002 555,000 −5,400 −0.96%
2001 560,400 +57,700 +11.48%
2000 502,700 +25,500 +5.34%
1999 477,200 +18,700 +4.08%
1998 458,500 +32,400 +7.6%
1997 426,100 +45,300 +11.9%
1996 380,800 +35,800 +10.38%
1995 345,000 +39,200 +12.82%
1994 305,800 +11,700 +3.98%
1993 294,100 −13,800 −4.48%
1992 307,900 +20,700 +7.21%
1991 287,200 −22,600 −7.3%
1990 309,800 +800 +0.26%
1989 309,000 +14,200 +4.82%
1988 294,800 +12,300 +4.35%
1987 282,500 +9,800 +3.59%
1986 272,700 +2,000 +0.74%
1985 270,700

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.