Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita was 1.79 units per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in South Africa, 1980–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in South Africa is 1.79 units per person, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in South Africa peaked at 1.79 units per person in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 units per person, in 1980.
South Africa ranks 10th of 212 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | units per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1981 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1982 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1983 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1984 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1985 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1986 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1987 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1988 | 0 units per person | — |
| 1989 | 0.0001 units per person | — |
| 1990 | 0.0001 units per person | +38.8% |
| 1991 | 0.0002 units per person | +22.2% |
| 1992 | 0.0003 units per person | +73.1% |
| 1993 | 0.0009 units per person | +213.4% |
| 1994 | 0.0077 units per person | +736.3% |
| 1995 | 0.012 units per person | +55.5% |
| 1996 | 0.0211 units per person | +75.8% |
| 1997 | 0.0402 units per person | +90.4% |
| 1998 | 0.0722 units per person | +79.6% |
| 1999 | 0.111 units per person | +53.8% |
| 2000 | 0.1768 units per person | +59.3% |
| 2001 | 0.2268 units per person | +28.2% |
| 2002 | 0.2853 units per person | +25.8% |
| 2003 | 0.3476 units per person | +21.8% |
| 2004 | 0.4254 units per person | +22.4% |
| 2005 | 0.6862 units per person | +61.3% |
| 2006 | 0.7933 units per person | +15.6% |
| 2007 | 0.8371 units per person | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 0.8804 units per person | +5.2% |
| 2009 | 0.8977 units per person | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 0.9623 units per person | +7.2% |
| 2011 | 1.21 units per person | +25.5% |
| 2012 | 1.27 units per person | +5.3% |
| 2013 | 1.41 units per person | +10.5% |
| 2014 | 1.43 units per person | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 1.55 units per person | +8.8% |
| 2016 | 1.44 units per person | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 1.54 units per person | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 1.58 units per person | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 1.63 units per person | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 1.58 units per person | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 1.63 units per person | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 1.61 units per person | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.72 units per person | +6.7% |
| 2024 | 1.79 units per person | +4.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.79 units per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.22 units per person, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.79 units per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.9372 units per person, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +736.3% | 0.0009 units per person | 0.0077 units per person |
| 1993 | +213.4% | 0.0003 units per person | 0.0009 units per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0 units per person | 0 units per person | 0.0001 units per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0266 units per person | 0.0001 units per person | 0.111 units per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5557 units per person | 0.1768 units per person | 0.8977 units per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.4 units per person | 0.9623 units per person | 1.63 units per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.67 units per person | 1.58 units per person | 1.79 units per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More science & technology data for South Africa
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 179.34 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 89.37 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 14,949 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in South Africa?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita in South Africa was 1.79 units per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.79 units per person in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 units per person in 1980.
- How does South Africa rank for mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 10th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Mobile phone subscriptions International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.