Malawi: Patent applications by residents

The latest value from 2016 is 3 patent applications, a decline from 6 patent applications in 2015. In comparison, the world average is 17593 patent applications, based on data from 121 countries. Historically, the average for Malawi from 1980 to 2016 is 2 patent applications. The minimum value, 1 patent applications, was reached in 1983 while the maximum of 7 patent applications was recorded in 1981. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.

Definition: 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.