Countries with the Most Patent Applications (2021)
Source: World Bank·25 countries·Updated 2021
Patent applications measure the output of a country's innovation ecosystem. Here are the 25 countries filing the most patents in 2021.
China leads with patent applications, residents of 1.4M.
United States ranks #2 at 262,244.
Japan ranks #3 at 222,452.
Korea, Rep. ranks #4 at 186,245.
Germany ranks #5 at 39,822.
Top 25 Countries by Patent Applications, Residents
| # | Country | Patent Applications, Residents | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | 1.4M | 2021 |
| 2 |  United States | 262,244 | 2021 |
| 3 |  Japan | 222,452 | 2021 |
| 4 |  Korea, Rep. | 186,245 | 2021 |
| 5 |  Germany | 39,822 | 2021 |
| 6 |  India | 26,267 | 2021 |
| 7 |  Russian Federation | 19,569 | 2021 |
| 8 |  France | 13,386 | 2021 |
| 9 |  United Kingdom | 11,592 | 2021 |
| 10 |  Italy | 10,281 | 2021 |
| 11 |  Iran, Islamic Rep. | 10,210 | 2021 |
| 12 |  Turkiye | 8,234 | 2021 |
| 13 |  Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 6,937 | 2020 |
| 14 |  Canada | 4,710 | 2021 |
| 15 |  Brazil | 4,666 | 2021 |
| 16 |  Poland | 3,377 | 2021 |
| 17 |  Australia | 2,966 | 2021 |
| 18 |  Netherlands | 2,080 | 2021 |
| 19 |  Singapore | 2,024 | 2021 |
| 20 |  Austria | 1,872 | 2021 |
| 21 |  South Africa | 1,804 | 2021 |
| 22 |  Sweden | 1,771 | 2021 |
| 23 |  Israel | 1,592 | 2021 |
| 24 |  Finland | 1,557 | 2021 |
| 25 |  Saudi Arabia | 1,398 | 2021 |
Data from 140 countries is available. View full rankings →
FAQ
What is the highest patent applications, residents in 2021?
China has the highest patent applications, residents at 1.4M in 2021.
How many countries are included in this ranking?
This article features the top 25 countries out of 140 with available data. Full rankings available on the indicator page.
Where does this data come from?
Data is sourced from the World Bank. It is updated regularly as new releases become available.