Bhutan: Patent applications, nonresidents

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2023, Bhutan's patent applications, nonresidents rose 140% on 2022 (from 5 to 12).

Across the 8 yearly changes before that (2013 to 2022), the average change was +78.3% and a typical year strayed about 142.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 300% in 2013 and the biggest yearly fall was 85.7% in 2016. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2023 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 12% of the movement over 9 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

Closest to Bhutan in the 2023 ranking

• Syrian Arab Republic — 1st of 9: 23
• Ghana — 2nd of 9: 14
• Seychelles — 3rd of 9: 14
• Yemen, Rep. — 5th of 9: 6
• Monaco — 6th of 9: 2
• Samoa — 7th of 9: 2

What this measures

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.

Limitations: Data are based on information supplied to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) by IP offices in annual surveys, supplemented by data in national IP office reports. Data may be missing for some offices or periods.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 11 values

Patent applications, nonresidents in nearby economies

• Bangladesh — 302 (2024)
• India — 41,940 (2024)
• Nepal — 43 (2017)
• Sri Lanka — 181 (2024)

More infrastructure data for Bhutan

• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 0 (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 0 (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 789,606 (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 99.76 (2024)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 3,752 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 189,878 (2023)
• Scientific and technical journal articles — 102.52 (2023)
• Individuals using the Internet (% of population) — 91.28% (2024)
• Air transport, freight (million ton-km) — 0.5 (2023)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Bhutan's patent applications, nonresidents?

12 in 2023, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2012?

It is up 1,100% from 1 in 2012 (25.35% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 17 in 2019 and the lowest 1 in 2012.

Is the latest change in patent applications, nonresidents unusual for Bhutan?

In 2023, Bhutan's patent applications, nonresidents rose 140% on 2022 (from 5 to 12). Across the 8 yearly changes before that (2013 to 2022), the average change was +78.3% and a typical year strayed about 142.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the transformation of these data..

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IP.PAT.NRES, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the transformation of these data. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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