Germany vs South Africa: Mobile phone subscriptions
Germany
109.20 million
in 2024
South Africa
114.79 million
in 2024
Germany rank
18th
South Africa rank
16th
Mobile phone subscriptions over time
- Germany
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 114.79 million against 109.20 million in Germany, a difference of 5.59 million.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Germany's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 45 shared years of data; in 1980 it was South Africa ahead.
Germany ranks 18th and South Africa ranks 16th of 212 countries.
Germany has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Germany | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 33,601 | 398 | 33,203 | Germany |
| 1990s | 6.09 million | 1.23 million | 4.87 million | Germany |
| 2000s | 77.13 million | 27.79 million | 49.34 million | Germany |
| 2010s | 99.55 million | 78.72 million | 20.83 million | Germany |
| 2020s | 106.56 million | 103.95 million | 2.61 million | Germany |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher mobile phone subscriptions, Germany or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 114.79 million against 109.20 million in Germany as of 2024.
- What is the difference in mobile phone subscriptions between Germany and South Africa?
- 5.59 million, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and South Africa?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do Germany and South Africa rank globally for mobile phone subscriptions?
- Germany ranks 18th and South Africa ranks 16th of 212 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Mobile phone subscriptions. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.