Russia vs South Africa: Mobile and landline 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 and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people over time

  • Russia
  • South Africa
050100150200196019922024

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 53 shared years of data; in 1960 it was South Africa ahead.

Russia ranks 8th and South Africa ranks 10th of 212 countries.

Across the 7 decades both report, Russia averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Russia South Africa Difference Ahead
1960s 0 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 0 per 100 people —
1970s 0 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 0 per 100 people —
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 and landline 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 and landline 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?
53 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2024.
How do Russia and South Africa rank globally for mobile and landline 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) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Russia vs South Africa: Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 03 October 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/mobile-landline-subscriptions/russian-federation/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people
Unit
per 100 people
Source
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
212 places, 10,585 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed