Patent applications, nonresidents
Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years. More info »
1997
2000
2003
2006
2009
2011
2014
2017
2020
-20,000
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
200,000
220,000
240,000
260,000
Upper middle income
Data source: World Bank, World Development Indicators - Last updated January 1, 2020