South Africa vs Turkey: Mobile phone subscriptions
South Africa
114.79 million
in 2024
Turkey
94.32 million
in 2024
South Africa rank
16th
Turkey rank
19th
Mobile phone subscriptions over time
- South Africa
- Turkey
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 114.79 million against 94.32 million in Turkey, a difference of 20.47 million.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Turkey's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 45 shared years of data; in 1980 it was Turkey ahead.
South Africa ranks 16th and Turkey ranks 19th of 212 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 2 and Turkey in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Turkey | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 398 | 3,092 | 2,694 | Turkey |
| 1990s | 1.23 million | 1.49 million | 262,664 | Turkey |
| 2000s | 27.79 million | 40.85 million | 13.06 million | Turkey |
| 2010s | 78.72 million | 72.37 million | 6.35 million | South Africa |
| 2020s | 103.95 million | 89.05 million | 14.90 million | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher mobile phone subscriptions, South Africa or Turkey?
- South Africa, at 114.79 million against 94.32 million in Turkey as of 2024.
- What is the difference in mobile phone subscriptions between South Africa and Turkey?
- 20.47 million, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Turkey?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and Turkey rank globally for mobile phone subscriptions?
- South Africa ranks 16th and Turkey ranks 19th of 212 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) β 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.