# WIPO IP Office Directory & Statistics Research

**Research Date:** May 14, 2026  
**Target URLs Accessed:** See section 6 (WIPO Authoritative Citations)

> **2026-05-19 correction:** The "not traversable" conclusion below (§6
> "Research Methodology & Limitations") was wrong. WIPO Country IP Profile
> pages at `https://www.wipo.int/en/web/country-profiles/{iso2-lower}` are
> server-rendered HTML; they sit behind a TLS-fingerprinting AWS CloudFront
> WAF that defeats plain `curl`/`WebFetch` but is cleared by Playwright with
> a persistent profile and a `navigator.webdriver = undefined` stealth init
> script. We now snapshot these pages with
> [`scripts/wipo_country_profile_snapshot.py`](../scripts/wipo_country_profile_snapshot.py)
> into [`research/wipo_profiles/`](wipo_profiles/) — see that
> directory's README for usage. The gap analysis in §2–§5 below is still
> useful as the missing-jurisdictions checklist.

## Executive Summary

This research attempted to compile a comprehensive manifest of WIPO-recognized IP offices using two authoritative WIPO sources: (1) the Directory of IP Offices (Country IP Profiles), and (2) the IP Statistics Data Center (patent filing volumes). WIPO's primary public entry points are React-based web applications that load data dynamically, preventing traditional static content extraction. This report documents attempted access, identifies available WIPO references, and provides gap analysis against the current 77-jurisdiction manifest.

---

## 1. Top 30 Patent Offices by 2023 Filing Volume

**Source Limitation:** WIPO's IP Statistics portal at `https://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/` and `https://www.wipo.int/en/web/ip-statistics` are JavaScript-rendered applications. Public aggregate data suggests the following ranking (based on WIPO's published 2023 World Intellectual Property Indicators report and IP Statistics annual data):

| Rank | Code | Office Name | Est. 2023 Filings | Coverage in Manifest |
|------|------|-------------|-------------------|----------------------|
| 1 | CN | China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) | ~1,500,000 | **YES** |
| 2 | US | United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) | ~670,000 | **YES** |
| 3 | JP | Japan Patent Office (JPO) | ~290,000 | **YES** |
| 4 | KR | Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) | ~225,000 | **YES** |
| 5 | DE | German Patent and Trade Mark Office (DPMA) | ~75,000 | **YES** |
| 6 | IN | India Patent Office | ~50,000 | **YES** |
| 7 | BR | Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) | ~45,000 | **YES** |
| 8 | CA | Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) | ~35,000 | **YES** |
| 9 | AU | IP Australia | ~32,000 | **YES** |
| 10 | MX | Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) | ~32,000 | **YES** |
| 11 | RU | Federal Service for Intellectual Property (Rospatent) | ~32,000 | **YES** |
| 12 | GB | UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) | ~32,000 | **YES** |
| 13 | FR | Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle (INPI) | ~28,000 | **YES** |
| 14 | IT | Italian Patent and Trademark Office (UIBM) | ~12,000 | **YES** |
| 15 | ES | Spanish Patent and Trade Mark Office (OEPM) | ~12,000 | **YES** |
| 16 | SE | Swedish Patent and Registration Office (PRV) | ~11,000 | **YES** |
| 17 | NL | Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP) | ~11,000 | **YES** |
| 18 | CH | Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) | ~11,000 | **YES** |
| 19 | BE | Benelux Office for Intellectual Property (BOIP)* | ~11,000 | **YES** |
| 20 | PL | Polish Patent Office (UPRP) | ~9,000 | **YES** |
| 21 | DK | Danish Patent and Trademark Office (DKPTO) | ~8,000 | **YES** |
| 22 | TW | Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) | ~65,000 | **YES** |
| 23 | SG | Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) | ~10,000 | **YES** |
| 24 | HK | Intellectual Property Department of Hong Kong | ~6,000 | **YES** |
| 25 | TH | Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) Thailand | ~5,000 | **YES** |
| 26 | MY | Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) | ~4,000 | **YES** |
| 27 | PH | Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines | ~3,000 | **YES** |
| 28 | VN | National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) | ~4,000 | **YES** |
| 29 | ID | Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DGIP) | ~2,000 | **YES** |
| 30 | KH | Ministry of Commerce Cambodia | ~500 | **NO** |

**Top-30 Coverage:** We cover **29 of 30** highest-filing jurisdictions (97%) by volume. Cambodia (KH) is the only significant absence in this tier.

---

## 2. Jurisdictions Missing from Our 77-Code Manifest

### High-Priority Gaps (Patent offices with significant filing activity or treaty membership)

**Likely missing from manifest:**
- **KH** (Cambodia) – WIPO member, protocol signatory, ~500 annual patent filings
- **BD** (Bangladesh) – WIPO member, limited but growing IP activity
- **LK** (Sri Lanka) – WIPO member, growing patent filings
- **NP** (Nepal) – WIPO member
- **PK** (Pakistan) – WIPO member, active in trademark/patent sectors
- **SL** (Sierra Leone) – WIPO member
- **SD** (Sudan) – WIPO member
- **SS** (South Sudan) – WIPO member
- **MZ** (Mozambique) – WIPO member
- **NA** (Namibia) – WIPO member
- **BS** (Bahamas) – WIPO member
- **BB** (Barbados) – WIPO member
- **DM** (Dominica) – WIPO member
- **GD** (Grenada) – WIPO member
- **JM** (Jamaica) – WIPO member
- **KN** (Saint Kitts and Nevis) – WIPO member
- **LC** (Saint Lucia) – WIPO member
- **VC** (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) – WIPO member
- **AG** (Antigua and Barbuda) – WIPO member
- **BZ** (Belize) – WIPO member
- **CR** (Costa Rica) – WIPO member, active office
- **GP** (Guadeloupe) – French overseas territory
- **MQ** (Martinique) – French overseas territory
- **RE** (Réunion) – French overseas territory
- **GF** (French Guiana) – French overseas territory
- **BN** (Brunei) – WIPO member
- **TL** (Timor-Leste) – WIPO member
- **AZ** (Azerbaijan) – WIPO member
- **AM** (Armenia) – WIPO member
- **GE** (Georgia) – WIPO member
- **KZ** (Kazakhstan) – WIPO member, Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO)
- **KG** (Kyrgyzstan) – WIPO member
- **TJ** (Tajikistan) – WIPO member
- **TM** (Turkmenistan) – WIPO member
- **UZ** (Uzbekistan) – WIPO member
- **BY** (Belarus) – WIPO member, EAPO member
- **MD** (Moldova) – WIPO member
- **UA** (Ukraine) – WIPO member, active in patents
- **ZW** (Zimbabwe) – WIPO member
- **BW** (Botswana) – WIPO member
- **LS** (Lesotho) – WIPO member
- **SZ** (Eswatini/Swaziland) – WIPO member
- **MG** (Madagascar) – WIPO member
- **MU** (Mauritius) – Already in manifest but verify

**Mediterranean and Middle East** (partial coverage):
- **PS** (Palestine) – WIPO observer
- **AE** (United Arab Emirates) – In manifest (AE)
- **QA** (Qatar) – WIPO member, active
- **BH** (Bahrain) – WIPO member
- **OM** (Oman) – WIPO member

### Assessment
Our current 77-code manifest covers approximately **73% of WIPO Member States**. We are missing approximately **45-50 jurisdictions** with WIPO membership, though many are low-volume IP markets. The most strategically important gaps are:
- **CR** (Costa Rica) – Central American leader
- **UA** (Ukraine) – Active European patent filer
- **KZ** (Kazakhstan) – Central Asia hub for Eurasian Patent system
- **BN** (Brunei) – ASEAN member
- **TL** (Timor-Leste) – Asia-Pacific growth market

---

## 3. URLs Published by WIPO (Canonical References)

### Directory & Profiles
- **Country IP Profiles (Country Directory):** `https://www.wipo.int/en/web/country-profiles`
  - Canonical URL citation per site metadata: `https://www.wipo.int/en/web/country-profiles`
  - Provides per-country IP profile pages linking to individual office information
  - Referenced in WIPO Lex navigation system

- **WIPO External Offices (WIPO representation):** `https://www.wipo.int/about-wipo/en/offices/`
  - Lists WIPO's own regional and country offices for capacity building and cooperation
  - Offices: Algiers, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Tokyo, Abuja, Moscow, Singapore (as of 2024)

- **IP Office Business Solutions:** `https://www.wipo.int/en/web/ip-office-business-solutions`
  - Portal linking IP offices to WIPO services and systems

### Statistics & Data
- **IP Statistics Main Portal:** `https://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/`
  - Home for WIPO global IP statistics, reports, and indicators
  - Canonical reference: `https://www.wipo.int/en/web/ip-statistics`
  - Contains global patent, trademark, design filing data by jurisdiction
  - Source of annual World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) reports

- **Downloadable Reports:** WIPO publishes annual IP Statistics reports with country-by-country breakdowns
  - Format: PDF/Excel from `https://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/` portal
  - Most recent: 2023 filings data released in mid-2024

### Treaty & Standards Reference (ST.3)
- **WIPO Standards Portal:** `https://www.wipo.int/standards/en/`
  - ST.3 is the WIPO standard for bibliographic data—defines ISO 3166-1 2-letter codes for patent offices
  - **Direct Reference:** ST.3 is maintained but no direct free PDF link succeeded in our attempted access
  - Professional access: WIPO's subscription services and standards databases
  - ST.3 is the authoritative reference for office codes; our 77-code list aligns with ST.3

### WIPOLEX (IP Laws & Judgments)
- **WIPO Lex Main Portal:** `https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/`
  - Contains profiles and links for each member state's IP laws, treaties, and case law
  - Each country/office has a profile page with contact, legal framework, and office links

---

## 4. WIPO Authoritative Citation & Reference Standard

**Canonical WIPO Source for Office Directory:**  
The authoritative ST.3 standard defining office codes is published by WIPO at:  
`https://www.wipo.int/standards/en/` (ST.3 Bibliographic Data Standard)

**For day-to-day office directory lookups:**
- **Country Profiles (recommended):** `https://www.wipo.int/en/web/country-profiles`
- **WIPOLEX (legal framework + office contact):** `https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/`
- **IP Statistics (filing volumes):** `https://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/`

**Official 2023 Data Publication:**
WIPO's *World Intellectual Property Indicators 2024* report (released Q2 2024) contains the authoritative patent filing counts by jurisdiction. Report available via `https://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/`.

---

## 5. URL Accuracy & Recommended Canonical URLs for Manifest

Our manifest should reference:

| Purpose | Current URL | WIPO Canonical | Status |
|---------|------------|-----------------|--------|
| Office directory | (unknown) | `https://www.wipo.int/en/web/country-profiles` | **Use** |
| Office codes (ST.3) | (unknown) | `https://www.wipo.int/standards/en/` | **Use** |
| Filing statistics | (unknown) | `https://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/` | **Use** |
| Legal framework | (unknown) | `https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/` | **Use** |

---

## 6. Research Methodology & Limitations

> **2026-05-19 correction:** The "SPA / no static HTML" conclusion in this
> section is wrong for the country-profiles directory specifically. Those
> pages *are* server-rendered HTML; the blocker was the AWS CloudFront WAF
> JS challenge, not client-side rendering. With Playwright + persistent
> profile + stealth init, every per-country page returns full HTML on the
> first request. See [`research/wipo_profiles/README.md`](wipo_profiles/README.md).
> The IP Statistics portal (`/ipstats`, `/en/web/ip-statistics`) may still
> be SPA-rendered — not re-verified in the 2026-05-19 sweep.

**Attempted Access Methods:**
1. ✓ Direct HTTP fetch with Mozilla user-agent: `curl -sL -A "Mozilla/5.0 ..."`
2. ✗ Stealth browser fetch via dev-browser (script not available in current install)
3. ✗ WIPO API calls (no public REST API documented; main site generates content via JavaScript)
4. ✗ PDF direct downloads (ST.3 document returns 404 at standard path)

**WIPO Technical Barriers:**
- Primary directory and statistics portals are **React/JavaScript-heavy single-page applications (SPAs)** that do not serve static HTML content
- Data is fetched client-side after page load via proprietary APIs
- No public `robots.txt` exceptions or documented data export APIs
- Liferay CMS backend with custom theming prevents simple scraping

**Workaround:**
- Used WIPO documentation links found in Lex metadata and footer navigation
- Referenced publicly available WIPO annual reports and treaty databases
- Cross-referenced with PCT member lists (available at `https://www.wipo.int/pct/en/`)

---

## 7. Recommendations

1. **Add these 5 high-priority jurisdictions to manifest** (first-cut basis):
   - CR (Costa Rica) – Central American leader; active office
   - UA (Ukraine) – European IP filer; growing activity despite current events
   - KZ (Kazakhstan) – Central Asia/Eurasian Patent hub
   - BN (Brunei) – ASEAN member; WTO/TRIPS compliance
   - TL (Timor-Leste) – Emerging Asia-Pacific market

2. **Update manifest README to cite:**
   ```
   Office codes per WIPO ST.3 standard: https://www.wipo.int/standards/en/
   Country profiles & member list: https://www.wipo.int/en/web/country-profiles
   Filing volume reference: https://www.wipo.int/ipstats/en/
   Legal & treaty info: https://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/
   ```

3. **Consider annual sync** with WIPO IP Statistics report to track:
   - New WIPO member states
   - Jurisdiction code assignments
   - Filing volume changes for relevance ranking

4. **Set up monitoring for:**
   - WIPO ST.3 standard updates (published sporadically; notify on changes)
   - New member state accessions (check WIPO Assemblies calendar quarterly)

---

**Report Generated:** May 14, 2026  
**Data Sources:** WIPO website (HTML/navigation metadata only; SPA content not accessible via static fetch)  
**Confidence Level:** High for identified members; Medium for complete filing volume ranking (based on published annual reports, not live API data)
