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Ranked: Countries With the Most AI Patents

2026-03-25 01:02:54

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Ranked: Countries With the Most AI Patents

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • China dominates the ranking for countries with the most AI patents, at 25,177.
  • The U.S. follows, at 17,307, but AI patents represent a higher share of its overall patent mix than in China.
  • Mexico, surprisingly, ranks among the top 10 and beat more typical IP hubs.

Which countries are leading in artificial intelligence innovation?

This chart ranks the top countries by AI patents in 2024, based on data from the World Intellectual Property Organization.

China Leads With The Most AI Patents

China currently has the most AI patents at 25,177, showing dominance in overall volume.

Despite the U.S. trailing in AI patents with 17,307, its share of overall patents is higher than China’s—highlighting AI as a larger share of U.S. innovation.

Rank Country AI Patents Total Patents
1 🇨🇳 China 25,177 5,688,867
2 🇺🇸 United States 17,307 3,519,879
3 🇰🇷 South Korea 5,635 1,312,294
4 🇯🇵 Japan 4,811 2,085,215
5 🇩🇪 Germany 436 963,941
6 🇦🇺 Australia 298 163,069
7 🇫🇷 France 142 757,026
8 🇮🇳 India 138 228,402
9 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 119 744,130
10 🇲🇽 Mexico 57 111,190
11 🇧🇷 Brazil 37 106,827
12 🇲🇾 Malaysia 30 38,168
13 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 29 163,418
14 🇳🇱 Netherlands 22 246,254
15 🇸🇪 Sweden 21 152,158
16 🇭🇺 Hungary 14 35,950
17 🇵🇭 Philippines 13 15,463
18 🇨🇴 Colombia 12 9,009
19 🇳🇿 New Zealand 11 23,867
19 🇷🇸 Serbia 11 9,368
21 🇵🇱 Poland 7 111,782
21 🇪🇸 Spain 7 217,849
23 🇦🇷 Argentina 6 13,053
24 🇫🇮 Finland 5 96,416
24 🇵🇪 Peru 5 4,539
26 🇬🇷 Greece 4 27,510
26 🇳🇴 Norway 4 55,349
28 🇦🇹 Austria 3 134,163
28 🇧🇪 Belgium 3 187,149
28 🇨🇱 Chile 3 21,079
28 🇲🇦 Morocco 3 4,917
28 🇷🇴 Romania 3 27,474
28 🇸🇰 Slovakia 3 21,189
34 🇩🇰 Denmark 2 109,551
34 🇸🇮 Slovenia 2 18,517
36 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 1 13,311
36 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 1 1,462
36 🇪🇨 Ecuador 1 215
36 🇱🇻 Latvia 1 10,493
36 🇵🇹 Portugal 1 81,509
36 🇲🇩 Moldova 1 255
36 🇨🇭 Switzerland 1 268,054

South Korea sits in third place for the most AI patents, at 5,635—accounting for 0.43% of overall patents in the country.

Europe and the UK, despite being known for top universities and research and development labs, trail behind. Germany and France are the only European countries to make the top 10, with 436 and 142 patents respectively. The UK has just 119 AI patents, accounting for 0.02% of overall patents.

Interestingly, Mexico nabs 10th place for most AI patents, at 57, beating more general IP hotspots such as the Netherlands, Spain, and Luxembourg.

Concentration Could Affect Competitiveness

The data shows that AI innovation is highly concentrated. Indeed, Chinese companies Tencent, Ping An Insurance Group, Baidu and the Chinese Academy of Sciences had the most patents for generative AI as of 2019. IBM follows in the ranking.

This concentration could be a challenge as countries attempt to shore up sovereign AI capabilities, meaning home-grown innovation and domestic data centers, while also staying competitive.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about AI, check out this graphic which ranks how AI competitiveness across countries.

India on Top: AI Adoption by Country

2026-03-24 23:45:00

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The following content is sponsored by Adobe

India on Top: AI Adoption by Country

   

Key Takeaways

  • India leads global AI adoption at 92%, the highest rate among surveyed countries.
  •              
  • Several Global South economies—including India, Brazil, and South Africa—are adopting AI faster than many developed nations.
  •        

India’s tech-savvy workforce is leading the world in artificial intelligence adoption. This signals how emerging economies are becoming key drivers of the next wave of digital productivity. 

This visualization, created in partnership with Adobe, explores how AI adoption varies across countries. The data reveals a growing trend: the Global South is increasingly outpacing the Global North when it comes to integrating AI into everyday work.

As AI tools become more accessible, countries with rapidly digitizing workforces are embracing them as a way to accelerate productivity and innovation.

Where AI Adoption Is Highest

India sits firmly at the top of global AI adoption rankings, with 92% of workers using AI tools several times per week, according to a 2025 Boston Consulting Group survey of 10,635 respondents worldwide. The country’s large technology workforce, strong startup ecosystem, and rapid digital transformation have helped accelerate AI integration across industries.

Country/Region AI Tools Adoption (%) Global North/South
🇮🇳 India 92 South
🇪🇸 Spain 78 North
🇧🇷 Brazil 76 South
🇿🇦 South Africa 72 South
🇬🇧 UK 68 North
🇮🇹 Italy 68 North
🇩🇪 Germany 67 North
🇫🇷 France 64 North
🇺🇸 U.S. 64 North
🇯🇵 Japan 51 North

Several other Global South economies also show strong uptake. Brazil ranks third globally at 76%, while South Africa follows closely at 72%. These countries are adopting AI quickly as businesses look to boost efficiency and modernize workflows.

In comparison, adoption across much of the Global North is somewhat lower. This is with the exception of Spain, which ranks second overall at 78%. The UK and Italy both report 68% adoption, followed by Germany (67%), France (64%), and the United States (64%).

Meanwhile, Japan reports the lowest adoption rate at 51%, highlighting how structural factors, including an aging population, can influence the speed of AI integration.

From Adoption to Productivity

While AI adoption is rising rapidly worldwide, the real economic impact comes from how these tools are applied in daily work. AI‑enabled document and workflow tools, including platforms such as Adobe Acrobat Studio, are helping organizations streamline routine tasks, reduce manual effort, and allow teams to focus on higher‑value work.

This momentum is increasingly shaping how work gets done day to day. Tasks such as editing reports, reviewing scanned files, or updating PDFs are now commonly handled through online PDF tools. This enables faster collaboration and more efficient decision‑making across teams.

As adoption spreads, countries that successfully embed AI into everyday workflows may gain a significant productivity advantage in the years ahead.

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Charted: America’s Oil Reversal, From Import Giant to Net Exporter

2026-03-24 22:22:02

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Graphic showing U.S. net imports and exports of oil from 1973-2025, as well as January 2026.

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America’s Oil Reversal, From Import Giant to Net Exporter

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • The U.S. has been a net petroleum exporter since 2020, reversing decades of reliance on imports.
  • In 2025, the gap widened to 2.8 million barrels per day.
  • Oil imports once peaked at nearly 15 million barrels per day in 2005.

As recently as the mid-2000s, the U.S. was importing vast amounts of oil to meet domestic demand. Today, it exports more petroleum than it imports, marking a dramatic reversal in U.S. energy trade.

This chart tracks U.S. oil imports and exports since 1973 based on data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA). It shows how the country moved from a major importer to a net exporter after decades of dependence on foreign supply.

The crossover came in 2020, when U.S. petroleum exports exceeded imports for the first time since at least 1949.

When the U.S. Relied on Oil Imports

Historically, the U.S. has been a massive oil importer, driven by its industrial needs and high household consumption as a car-dependent country.

The early 1970s famously saw the U.S. impacted by an energy crisis following an oil embargo by major oil-producing states such as Saudi Arabia. American policymakers came to understand the dangers of oil dependence on foreign producers, contributing to large-scale exploration efforts and the imposition of a ban on crude oil exports without a permit.

The data table below shows U.S. monthly oil imports, exports, and net imports in thousands of barrels per day (kbd) from 1973 to January 2026.

Year Petroleum Imports (kbd) Petroleum Exports (kbd) Petroleum Net Imports (kbd)
1973 6257.614 231.539 6026.075
1974 6106.949 220.265 5886.684
1975 6055.197 209.565 5845.632
1976 7311.529 223.28 7088.249
1977 8814.514 242.658 8571.856
1978 8362.208 361.029 8001.178
1979 8453.347 470.964 7982.384
1980 6911.935 544.532 6367.402
1981 5999.857 593.926 5405.931
1982 5111.942 814.49 4297.453
1983 5043.856 740.314 4303.542
1984 5438.21 721.176 4717.033
1985 5060.696 782.09 4278.606
1986 6213.924 785.022 5428.903
1987 6672.683 765.416 5907.267
1988 7401.561 815.046 6586.514
1989 8060.731 858.868 7201.864
1990 8017.638 856.542 7161.096
1991 7622.212 1002.777 6619.435
1992 7883.437 948.991 6934.447
1993 8616.414 1002.479 7613.935
1994 8994.387 941.311 8053.076
1995 8834.999 949.963 7885.036
1996 9472.205 981.164 8491.041
1997 10158.571 1003.038 9155.533
1998 10703.784 944.744 9759.04
1999 10850.785 938.782 9912.002
2000 11459.382 1039.443 10419.939
2001 11870.427 970.794 10899.632
2002 11527.177 984.977 10542.2
2003 12256.572 1026.663 11229.91
2004 13142.334 1048.12 12094.213
2005 13714.677 1165.508 12549.168
2006 13706.889 1317.28 12389.609
2007 13458.883 1432.116 12026.767
2008 12912.598 1801.117 11111.481
2009 11693.961 2022.106 9671.856
2010 11790.625 2350.714 9439.911
2011 11430.549 2983.525 8447.024
2012 10598.179 3204.324 7393.856
2013 9854.258 3618.423 6235.835
2014 9239.236 4170.894 5068.342
2015 9446.34 4738.298 4708.042
2016 10055.718 5260.039 4795.679
2017 10142.516 6377.687 3764.829
2018 9941.025 7598.088 2342.936
2019 9134.983 8470.696 664.287
2020 7864.611 8498.974 -634.363
2021 8470.182 8528.14 -57.958
2022 8329.658 9516.77 -1187.112
2023 8530.77 10229.419 -1698.649
2024 8437.117 10711.516 -2274.399
2025 7885.292 10702.822 -2817.53
2026 (incl. Jan. only) 8004.452 11114.258 -3109.806

Oil imports peaked in 2005 at nearly 15 million barrels per day, at a time when domestic oil production was far outstripped by demand. Key import markets included Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela.

The Shale Boom That Changed the Balance

The late 2000s and early 2010s marked a turning point in the U.S. energy trajectory. Demand was softened by the 2008 recession and global financial crisis, while domestic production began to take off with a shale oil boom and new oilfield discoveries in states like North Dakota.

Steadily growing production led the U.S. to repeal its longstanding ban on oil exports in 2015, setting the stage for the country to boost production and compete globally with other major players such as Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Notably, at the time of repeal oil imports made up roughly a third of total consumption, down from its peak of approximately 60% in 2005.

The U.S. as a Global Exporter

Contrary to small petrostates such as those seen in the Persian Gulf, the U.S. has a large, powerful, and diversified economy of which oil exports make up only a small portion.

However, the shift of the U.S. from a net importer to becoming a net exporter has reshaped global energy markets, as the country surpassed Russia and Saudi Arabia to become the world’s top crude oil producer in the late 2010s.

Rising U.S. production has reduced reliance on foreign oil and reshaped global energy flows. Today, oil and gas form key components of the economies of states like Texas, New Mexico, and North Dakota.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Where the World’s Oil Comes From by Region on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Mapped: Where Tech Jobs Grew Fastest Across America in 2025

2026-03-24 20:05:15

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Map showing tech employment growth by state in 2025.

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Mapped: Where Tech Jobs Grew Fastest Across America in 2025

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Utah posted the fastest tech job growth in 2025 at +6.3%, ahead of Illinois (+5.7%) and South Carolina (+4.8%).
  • Two-thirds of U.S. states saw tech employment decline in 2025.
  • Large tech hubs lagged: California (-2.8%), Texas (-2.0%), and New York (0.0%).

In 2025, tech job growth in America shifted away from its biggest hubs. While California still employs more tech workers than any other state, it saw employment decline, alongside other large markets like Texas. Meanwhile, a smaller group of states posted the fastest gains.

This map shows which states led the country in tech job growth, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data compiled via Arizona State University.

The results suggest that momentum is spreading beyond the largest legacy centers, with several smaller states outpacing the industry’s traditional leaders.

Ranked: The U.S. States Leading Tech Job Growth in 2025

Utah ranks first overall, with tech employment rising 6.3% annually, adding roughly 3,000 jobs.

Rank State Tech Job Growth 2025 (%)
1 Utah 6.3
2 Illinois 5.7
3 South Carolina 4.8
4 Colorado 4.6
5 Washington 3.0
6 Kansas 2.3
7 Oklahoma 2.3
8 North Dakota 1.9
9 Ohio 1.4
10 Florida 0.5
11 Alabama 0.4
12 Massachusetts 0.3
13 Delaware 0.0
14 Idaho 0.0
15 Iowa 0.0
16 South Dakota 0.0
17 New York 0.0
18 Michigan -0.4
19 Nevada -0.5
20 Arizona -0.6
21 Connecticut -0.7
22 Tennessee -0.7
23 Oregon -0.8
24 New Hampshire -0.9
25 North Carolina -0.9
26 Kentucky -1.0
27 Mississippi -1.0
28 Indiana -1.1
29 Maryland -1.2
30 West Virginia -1.3
31 Wisconsin -1.6
32 Texas -2.0
33 Pennsylvania -2.0
34 Nebraska -2.3
35 Hawaii -2.4
36 Missouri -2.8
37 California -2.8
38 Wyoming -3.3
39 Arkansas -4.1
40 Virginia -4.2
41 Minnesota -4.2
42 New Jersey -4.5
43 Alaska -4.7
44 Louisiana -4.7
45 Maine -4.8
46 Montana -5.3
47 Vermont -6.5
48 Georgia -6.7
49 Rhode Island -7.1
50 New Mexico -11.0

Home to “Silicon Slopes,” Utah is projected to have the third-fastest tech job growth this decade. Illinois (+5.7%) and South Carolina (+4.8%) follow, rounding out a top three that reflects a mix of established and emerging tech ecosystems.

Other notable gainers include Colorado (+4.6%) and Washington (+3.0%), both of which continue to build on strong existing tech sectors.

At the same time, several large states with significant tech workforces saw flat or declining growth. California, the country’s largest tech employer with over 500,000 jobs, recorded a 2.8% decline. Texas (-2.0%) and New York (0.0%) also lagged.

In total, two-thirds of U.S. states recorded declines in tech employment.

Overall, New Mexico saw the sharpest contraction nationwide, with tech employment falling 11%. Jobs in Rhode Island and Georgia, meanwhile, fell 7.1% and 6.7%, respectively.

What’s Driving the Shift in Tech Jobs?

Of course, one key driver behind these trends is the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence.

Across the tech sector, companies are restructuring around AI—both creating demand for specialized roles and reducing the need for others. In 2025, AI was cited as a contributing factor in thousands of job cuts, while also driving hiring in high-skill areas.

As AI reshapes hiring across the industry, the biggest story isn’t job loss or growth alone, but where opportunities are moving next.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the top 40 jobs most exposed to AI.

Mapped: Minimum Wages Across Europe

2026-03-24 12:46:13

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A map of that shows different salaries across Europe with a coloured ledger

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Mapped: Minimum Wages Across Europe

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Luxembourg has Europe’s highest minimum wage at €2,704 per month, while Ukraine sits at €164.
  • Western Europe dominates the top end of the map, while much of Eastern Europe remains below €1,000 per month.
  • Several wealthy European countries, including the Nordics and Switzerland, don’t have a statutory national minimum wage.

Europe’s minimum wages vary dramatically from country to country.

This map uses data from Eurostat to show monthly minimum pay across the continent, revealing a stark divide between Western and Eastern Europe, along with a surprising group of wealthy countries that operate without a statutory national minimum wage.

The East-West Split in Europe’s Minimum Wages

Luxembourg has Europe’s highest monthly minimum wage at €2,704, while Ukraine sits at just €164.

That means a minimum wage worker in Luxembourg earns more than 16 times as much per month as one in Ukraine.

Rank Country Country Monthly minimum wage (€)
1 🇱🇺 Luxembourg Luxembourg 2,704
2 🇮🇪 Ireland Ireland 2,282
3 🇬🇧 United Kingdom United Kingdom 2,279
4 🇳🇱 Netherlands Netherlands 2,246
5 🇩🇪 Germany Germany 2,161
6 🇧🇪 Belgium Belgium 2,112
7 🇫🇷 France France 1,802
10 🇪🇸 Spain Spain 1,381
11 🇸🇮 Slovenia Slovenia 1,278
12 🇵🇱 Poland Poland 1,100
13 🇱🇹 Lithuania Lithuania 1,038
14 🇬🇷 Greece Greece 1,027
15 🇵🇹 Portugal Portugal 1,015
16 🇨🇾 Cyprus Cyprus 1,000
17 🇭🇷 Croatia Croatia 970
18 🇲🇹 Malta Malta 961
19 🇪🇪 Estonia Estonia 886
20 🇨🇿 Czechia Czechia 841
21 🇸🇰 Slovakia Slovakia 816
22 🇷🇴 Romania Romania 797
23 🇱🇻 Latvia Latvia 740
24 🇭🇺 Hungary Hungary 727
25 🇲🇪 Montenegro Montenegro 670
26 🇷🇸 Serbia Serbia 618
27 🇲🇰 North Macedonia North Macedonia 584
28 🇹🇷 Türkiye Türkiye 558
29 🇧🇬 Bulgaria Bulgaria 551
30 🇦🇱 Albania Albania 408
31 🇲🇩 Moldova Moldova 279
32 🇺🇦 Ukraine Ukraine 164
-- 🇦🇹 Austria Austria NA
-- 🇮🇹 Italy Italy NA
-- 🇨🇭 Switzerland Switzerland NA
-- 🇩🇰 Denmark Denmark NA
-- 🇫🇮 Finland Finland NA
-- 🇮🇸 Iceland Iceland NA
-- 🇳🇴 Norway Norway NA
-- 🇸🇪 Sweden Sweden NA

People in Ireland are paid the second-highest in Europe, at €2,282. The island has become the de-facto hub for U.S. firms in Europe, and is home to many large tech companies, which means average salaries are likely to be much more.

The UK followed at €2,279, a figure calculated from the statutory hourly minimum wage from the Gov.uk website for a 37.5 hour work-week, which is typical in the country. The UK was the first European country to introduce a minimum wage, in 1909.

There’s a clear split between the eastern and western sides of Europe, with only two countries in Eastern Europe—Poland and Slovenia—seeing monthly minimum wages above €1,000.

Countries Without a Legal Minimum Wage

Some countries don’t have statutory minimum wages inscribed into law, but they do exist. In Nordic countries — Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland — wages are set by collective agreements instead.

Switzerland also doesn’t have a statutory minimum wage, but salary floors are set by states or sectors. In Geneva, one of the most well-paid areas, minimum wage would amount to €4,667 per a 40-hour work week.

In Austria, a €1,700 benchmark has been set via agreements. Italy’s minimum wage is also set by sectoral agreements but it differs widely depending on sector and skill level.

Interestingly, countries without statutory minimum wages are also some of the world’s happiest and richest.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about minimum wages, check out this graphic which ranks salaries across U.S. states.

Ranked: Countries With the Most Patents per Capita

2026-03-24 01:16:45

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Bar chart showing which countries have the most patents per population

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Ranked: Countries With the Most Patents per Capita

See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • Monaco leads by a massive margin with over 307,000 patents per 100,000 people
  • Luxembourg ranks second, but trails far behind at 24,318
  • South Korea leads major economies, ahead of Japan, the U.S., and China

Monaco has over 300,000 patents per 100,000 people—more than 12 times higher than the next country.

This striking gap highlights how patent activity is often concentrated in small financial hubs rather than large industrial economies.

This chart ranks countries by active patents per 100,000 people, based on 2024 data from the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Active Patents by Country Per Person

Check out the data here:

Rank
Country Active Patents per 100,000 People
1 🇲🇨 Monaco 307,237
2 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 24,318
3 🇮🇪 Ireland 3,752
4 🇨🇭 Switzerland 3,015
5 🇰🇷 South Korea 2,536
6 🇮🇸 Iceland 2,418
7 🇩🇰 Denmark 1,847
8 🇫🇮 Finland 1,734
9 🇯🇵 Japan 1,691
10 🇧🇪 Belgium 1,591
11 🇦🇹 Austria 1,469
12 🇸🇪 Sweden 1,445
13 🇳🇱 The Netherlands 1,377
14 🇲🇹 Malta 1,312
15 🇩🇪 Germany 1,140
16 🇫🇷 France 1,107
17 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 1,099
18 🇺🇸 United States 1,051
19 🇳🇴 Norway 995
20 🇭🇰 Hong Kong 977
21 🇸🇮 Slovenia 873
22 🇸🇬 Singapore 839
23 🇲🇴 Macao 814
24 🇵🇹 Portugal 788
25 🇪🇪 Estonia 780
26 🇮🇹 Italy 650
27 🇦🇺 Australia 612
28 🇱🇻 Latvia 558
29 🇨🇿 Czechia 464
30 🇳🇿 New Zealand 457
31 🇪🇸 Spain 451
32 🇱🇹 Lithuania 434
33 🇮🇱 Israel 418
34 🇨🇳 China 404
35 🇸🇰 Slovakia 390
36 🇭🇺 Hungary 374
37 🇭🇷 Croatia 349
38 🇲🇰 North Macedonia 302
39 🇵🇱 Poland 296
40 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 207
41 🇷🇺 Russia 169
42 🇿🇦 South Africa 165
43 🇷🇴 Romania 144
44 🇷🇸 Serbia 141
45 🇲🇾 Malaysia 112
46 🇨🇱 Chile 108
47 🇹🇷 Türkiye 105
48 🇲🇽 Mexico 86
49 🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe 64
50 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago 59
51 🇦🇩 Andorra 59
52 🇺🇦 Ukraine 56
53 🇧🇷 Brazil 53
54 🇮🇷 Iran 50
55 🇲🇳 Mongolia 47
56 🇵🇦 Panama 47
57 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates 44
58 🇿🇲 Zambia 42
59 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia 40
60 🇧🇭 Bahrain 37
61 🇹🇭 Thailand 34
62 🇺🇾 Uruguay 33
63 🇦🇷 Argentina 29
64 🇨🇷 Costa Rica 28
65 🇻🇳 Viet Nam 23
66 🇬🇪 Georgia 23
67 🇧🇧 Barbados 22
68 🇶🇦 Qatar 18
69 🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 18
70 🇨🇴 Colombia 17
71 🇯🇲 Jamaica 16
72 🇮🇳 India 16
73 🇩🇿 Algeria 15
74 🇧🇾 Belarus 15
75 🇸🇻 El Salvador 14
76 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan 14
77 🇳🇦 Namibia 14
78 🇵🇪 Peru 13
79 🇵🇭 Philippines 13
80 🇲🇦 Morocco 13
81 🇮🇶 Iraq 11
82 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic 10
83 🇲🇩 Moldova 10
84 🇬🇭 Ghana 10
85 🇴🇲 Oman 8
86 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka 5
87 🇪🇬 Egypt 5
88 🇭🇳 Honduras 4
89 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan 4
90 🇨🇺 Cuba 4
91 🇵🇾 Paraguay 4
92 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan 3
93 🇸🇾 Syria 3
94 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan 3
95 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 2
96 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2
97 🇰🇼 Kuwait 2
98 🇧🇩 Bangladesh 1
99 🇬🇹 Guatemala 1
100 🇪🇨 Ecuador 1
101 🇵🇰 Pakistan 1
102 🇨🇾 Cyprus 1
103 🇲🇬 Madagascar 1
104 🇧🇹 Bhutan 1
105 🇻🇪 Venezuela 1
106 🇦🇲 Armenia 1
107 🇬🇷 Greece 0
108 🇪🇹 Ethiopia 0
109 🇺🇬 Uganda 0
110 🇲🇲 Myanmar 0

Monaco and Luxembourg stand far above the rest, but their rankings are likely shaped by their role as legal hubs for intellectual property rather than where innovation physically takes place.

This pattern continues with Ireland and Switzerland, which also rank highly due to favorable tax and regulatory environments for holding patents.

Among major industrial economies, South Korea stands out with 2,536 patents per 100,000 people, outperforming Japan, the U.S., and China. Home to global tech giants like Samsung and LG, the country has built a strong ecosystem for innovation.

Across Europe, several smaller economies also rank highly. Nordic countries in particular combine modest populations with strong research and development investment, with Iceland reaching 2,418 patents per 100,000 people.

By contrast, the U.S. records 1,051 patents per 100,000 people, placing it behind much of Western Europe on this metric.

China’s reputation as the maker of cheap goods and toys has evolved significantly in recent years, and today it is known as a technology leader. The country leads in raw numbers with 5.6 million active patents but when adjusting for population, it sits behind 34 other countries at just 404 patents per 100,000 people.

Innovation Isn’t Always Registered Where It Is Made

Patent data often reflects where intellectual property is registered rather than where innovation actually occurs.

Multinational companies frequently shift patents across borders to benefit from tax advantages, royalty structures, or legal protections.

As a result, countries with favorable IP regimes can appear disproportionately strong in per-capita rankings, even if much of the underlying innovation originates elsewhere.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about patents, check out this graphic which ranks the countries with the most AI patents.