The percentage of patent applications filed by Saudi Arabian citizens and entities with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) fell by 34 percent in 2013 compared to the figures in 2012 but is still ahead of all the Arab countries.

Saudi Arabia applied for 187 patent requests in 2013 compared to 294 requests in 2012, local media, quoting data released by the Geneva-based organization, said.

For comparative reasons, the number of patent requests filed by Saudi Arabia was 81 and 147 in 2010 and 2011 respectively. However, the percentage of patent applications rose by 263 percent in 2012 compared to figures of 2010, the report said.

Morocco was placed second among the Arab countries in terms of patent requests with WIPO at 66 in 2013, followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at 59, Egypt (49), Qatar (28), Algiers (7), Lebanon (4), Bahrain and Tunisia (2 each), Jordan and Yemen (1 each), the report said.

There were 410 requests submitted by all Arab countries, the report said.

At the global level, the number of patent requests at WIPO grew by 5.1 percent in 2013 to hit 205,300 compared to 194,400 in 2012.