Korea files 5.6 thousand patent applications a year per million people, 3.7 times the US rate
China files 1,155, though in total it filed 1.8 million, 3.6 times the US (2024). Korea has 17.6 researchers per 1,000 workers, the US 10.6, China 4.3.
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In total patent applications China is far ahead, but it also has the most people. Per person, Koreans, the Swiss and the Japanese file the most.
Bars: patent applications by residents of each country in 2023, per million people.
- South Korea: Patent applications by origin, worldwide applications per year
2023: 288,199
- South Korea: Population thousand persons, 1 July
2023: 51,749
- Switzerland: Patent applications by origin, worldwide applications per year
2023: 41,999
- Switzerland: Population thousand persons, 1 July
2023: 8,871
- Japan: Patent applications by origin, worldwide applications per year
2023: 414,599
- Japan: Population thousand persons, 1 July
2023: 124,371
- Germany: Patent applications by origin, worldwide applications per year
2023: 133,111
- Germany: Population thousand persons, 1 July
2023: 84,548
- United States: Patent applications by origin, worldwide applications per year
2023: 521,382
- United States: Population thousand persons, 1 July
2023: 343,477
- China: Patent applications by origin, worldwide applications per year
2023: 1,642,643
- China: Population thousand persons, 1 July
2023: 1,422,585
- China: Patent applications by origin, worldwide applications per year
2024: 1,796,738
- United States: Patent applications by origin, worldwide applications per year
2024: 503,283
- South Korea: Researchers per 1,000 employed per 1,000 employed, FTE
2024: 17.6
- United States: Researchers per 1,000 employed per 1,000 employed, FTE
2023: 10.6
- China: Researchers per 1,000 employed per 1,000 employed, FTE
2024: 4.3
Applications: WIPO, by applicant's country, in all the world's patent offices (at home and abroad). Divided by the UN population of the same year. Researchers per 1,000 workers: OECD, full-time equivalents, latest year.
An application is not a granted patent, and patenting habits differ: some countries file many small applications, others fewer and larger ones. A count is not a measure of value.
A question for this picture
In which research measures has China already passed the US?