Russia vs South Africa: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people
Russia
186.1 per 100 people
in 2024
South Africa
179.34 per 100 people
in 2024
Russia rank
8th
South Africa rank
10th
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people over time
- Russia
- South Africa
How they compare
Russia currently reports 186.1 per 100 people against 179.34 per 100 people in South Africa, a difference of 6.76 per 100 people.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 45 shared years of data; in 1980 it was South Africa ahead.
Russia ranks 8th and South Africa ranks 10th of 212 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Russia averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Russia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 per 100 people | 0.001 per 100 people | 0.001 per 100 people | South Africa |
| 1990s | 0.2008 per 100 people | 2.68 per 100 people | 2.48 per 100 people | South Africa |
| 2000s | 70.04 per 100 people | 55.57 per 100 people | 14.47 per 100 people | Russia |
| 2010s | 154.37 per 100 people | 140.04 per 100 people | 14.33 per 100 people | Russia |
| 2020s | 173.52 per 100 people | 166.63 per 100 people | 6.89 per 100 people | Russia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people, Russia or South Africa?
- Russia, at 186.1 per 100 people against 179.34 per 100 people in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people between Russia and South Africa?
- 6.76 per 100 people, with Russia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Russia and South Africa?
- 45 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2024.
- How do Russia and South Africa rank globally for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
- Russia ranks 8th and South Africa ranks 10th 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 per 100 people. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.