Iraq: Patent applications, residents

Key figures

Over five years it is down 24.56% from 737 in 2019 (5.48% a year on average, compounded). Since 1980 it is up 2,826% from 19 in 1980 (7.98% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 21 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, Iraq's patent applications, residents fell 23.5% on 2023 (from 727 to 556).

Across the 19 yearly changes before that (1981 to 2023), the average change was +24% and a typical year strayed about 74.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations below 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 275.8% in 1984 and the biggest yearly fall was 32.8% in 1986. 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 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 30% 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

In 2024, Iraq had the 42nd highest value of the 113 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Iraq in the 2024 ranking

• Norway — 39th of 113: 732
• Belgium — 40th of 113: 647
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 41st of 113: 563
• Uzbekistan — 43rd of 113: 507
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 44th of 113: 495
• Hungary — 45th of 113: 480

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 24 values

Patent applications, residents in nearby economies

• Algeria — 1,084 (2024)
• Bahrain — 6 (2024)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 563 (2024)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 8,314 (2024)
• Israel — 1,448 (2024)
• Jordan — 14 (2024)
• Malta — 9 (2024)
• Morocco — 343 (2024)
• Oman — 98 (2024)
• Pakistan — 480 (2024)
• Qatar — 21 (2024)
• Saudi Arabia

More infrastructure data for Iraq

• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 46.08 million (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 100.08 (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 11.46 (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 5.28 million (2024)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 36,885 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 3.76 million (2023)
• Medium and high-tech exports (% manufactured exports) — 0.44% (2024)
• Air transport, freight (million ton-km) — 0 (2023)
• Scientific and technical journal articles — 16,724 (2023)
• Individuals using the Internet (% of population)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Iraq's patent applications, residents?

556 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1980?

It is up 2,826% from 19 in 1980 (7.98% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 797 in 2022 and the lowest 19 in 1980.

How does Iraq rank?

42nd highest of 113 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in patent applications, residents unusual for Iraq?

In 2024, Iraq's patent applications, residents fell 23.5% on 2023 (from 727 to 556). Across the 19 yearly changes before that (1981 to 2023), the average change was +24% and a typical year strayed about 74.2% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IP.PAT.RESD, 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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