South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa: Telephone mainlines

South Africa
81.58 per 1,000 people
in 2011
Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa
9.68 per 1,000 people
in 2011
South Africa rank
9th
Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa rank
6th

Telephone mainlines over time

  • South Africa
  • Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa
050100150196019852011

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 81.58 per 1,000 people against 9.68 per 1,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa, a difference of 71.9 per 1,000 people.

That makes South Africa's figure about 8.4 times Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa's.

Across all 39 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.

South Africa ranks 9th and Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa ranks 6th of 53 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Africa Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa Difference Ahead
1960s 37.37 per 1,000 people 1.31 per 1,000 people 36.06 per 1,000 people South Africa
1970s 49.44 per 1,000 people 2.62 per 1,000 people 46.82 per 1,000 people South Africa
1980s 73.72 per 1,000 people 3.11 per 1,000 people 70.61 per 1,000 people South Africa
1990s 104.99 per 1,000 people 4.61 per 1,000 people 100.39 per 1,000 people South Africa
2000s 100.69 per 1,000 people 8.97 per 1,000 people 91.72 per 1,000 people South Africa
2010s 83.05 per 1,000 people 9.97 per 1,000 people 73.08 per 1,000 people South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher telephone mainlines, South Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa?
South Africa, at 81.58 per 1,000 people against 9.68 per 1,000 people in Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa as of 2011.
What is the difference in telephone mainlines between South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa?
71.9 per 1,000 people, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa?
39 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2011.
How do South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa rank globally for telephone mainlines?
South Africa ranks 9th and Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa ranks 6th of 53 countries.
Where does this data come from?
International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates, published as Telephone mainlines (per 1,000 people). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa: Telephone mainlines. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/telephone-mainlines-per-1-000-people/south-africa/sub-saharan-africa-excluding-south-africa/

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<a href="https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/telephone-mainlines-per-1-000-people/south-africa/sub-saharan-africa-excluding-south-africa/">South Africa vs Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa: Telephone mainlines</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Telephone mainlines (per 1,000 people)
Unit
per 1,000 people
Source
International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
59 places, 2,199 data points, 1960–2011
Last refreshed

Please cite the International Telecommunication Union for third-party use of these data. Telephone mainlines are fixed telephone lines connecting a subscriber to the telephone exchange equipment.