Zimbabwe: Patent applications by residents

The latest value from 2016 is 8 patent applications, a decline from 9 patent applications in 2015. In comparison, the world average is 17593 patent applications, based on data from 121 countries. Historically, the average for Zimbabwe from 1980 to 2016 is 38 patent applications. The minimum value, 8 patent applications, was reached in 2016 while the maximum of 60 patent applications was recorded in 1991. 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.