Philippines vs South Africa: Mobile phone subscriptions
Philippines
133.57 million
in 2024
South Africa
114.79 million
in 2024
Philippines rank
13th
South Africa rank
16th
Mobile phone subscriptions over time
- Philippines
- South Africa
How they compare
Philippines currently reports 133.57 million against 114.79 million in South Africa, a difference of 18.78 million.
That makes Philippines's figure about 1.2 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 45 shared years of data; in 1980 it was South Africa ahead.
Philippines ranks 13th and South Africa ranks 16th of 212 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Philippines averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Philippines | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 | 398 | 398 | South Africa |
| 1990s | 774,508 | 1.23 million | 450,921 | South Africa |
| 2000s | 36.81 million | 27.79 million | 9.03 million | Philippines |
| 2010s | 115.33 million | 78.72 million | 36.61 million | Philippines |
| 2020s | 149.85 million | 103.95 million | 45.90 million | Philippines |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher mobile phone subscriptions, Philippines or South Africa?
- Philippines, at 133.57 million against 114.79 million in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in mobile phone subscriptions between Philippines and South Africa?
- 18.78 million, with Philippines ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Philippines and South Africa?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do Philippines and South Africa rank globally for mobile phone subscriptions?
- Philippines ranks 13th 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.