Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in China
China: Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre was 194.33 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in China, 1980–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in China stood at 194.33 units per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 48.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in China peaked at 194.33 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0 units per square kilometre, in 1980.
China ranks 62nd of 212 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in China, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1981 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1982 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1983 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1984 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1985 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1986 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1987 | 0.0001 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1988 | 0.0003 units per square kilometre | +361.0% |
| 1989 | 0.001 units per square kilometre | +203.8% |
| 1990 | 0.002 units per square kilometre | +86.8% |
| 1991 | 0.0051 units per square kilometre | +159.5% |
| 1992 | 0.0188 units per square kilometre | +272.2% |
| 1993 | 0.068 units per square kilometre | +260.6% |
| 1994 | 0.167 units per square kilometre | +145.8% |
| 1995 | 0.3865 units per square kilometre | +131.4% |
| 1996 | 0.73 units per square kilometre | +88.8% |
| 1997 | 1.41 units per square kilometre | +93.1% |
| 1998 | 2.54 units per square kilometre | +80.3% |
| 1999 | 4.61 units per square kilometre | +81.4% |
| 2000 | 9.08 units per square kilometre | +96.9% |
| 2001 | 15.43 units per square kilometre | +69.9% |
| 2002 | 21.94 units per square kilometre | +42.2% |
| 2003 | 28.75 units per square kilometre | +31.0% |
| 2004 | 35.66 units per square kilometre | +24.0% |
| 2005 | 41.9 units per square kilometre | +17.5% |
| 2006 | 49.11 units per square kilometre | +17.2% |
| 2007 | 58.3 units per square kilometre | +18.7% |
| 2008 | 68.3 units per square kilometre | +17.2% |
| 2009 | 79.59 units per square kilometre | +16.5% |
| 2010 | 91.5 units per square kilometre | +15.0% |
| 2011 | 105.05 units per square kilometre | +14.8% |
| 2012 | 118.46 units per square kilometre | +12.8% |
| 2013 | 130.92 units per square kilometre | +10.5% |
| 2014 | 136.99 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 137.62 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 145.39 units per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2017 | 156.57 units per square kilometre | +7.7% |
| 2018 | 175.68 units per square kilometre | +12.2% |
| 2019 | 186 units per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 183.04 units per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 184.59 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 188.53 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 194.33 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 194.33 units per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 89.71 units per square kilometre, 2.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 194.33 units per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 100.38 units per square kilometre, 1.9× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +361.0% | 0.0001 units per square kilometre | 0.0003 units per square kilometre |
| 1992 | +272.2% | 0.0051 units per square kilometre | 0.0188 units per square kilometre |
| 1993 | +260.6% | 0.0188 units per square kilometre | 0.068 units per square kilometre |
| 1989 | +203.8% | 0.0003 units per square kilometre | 0.001 units per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0001 units per square kilometre | 0 units per square kilometre | 0.001 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.994 units per square kilometre | 0.002 units per square kilometre | 4.61 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.81 units per square kilometre | 9.08 units per square kilometre | 79.59 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 138.42 units per square kilometre | 91.5 units per square kilometre | 186 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 187.62 units per square kilometre | 183.04 units per square kilometre | 194.33 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 59 United States Virgin Islands 226.06 units per square kilometre compare
- 60 Dominican Republic 215.98 units per square kilometre compare
- 61 Saint Kitts and Nevis 213.81 units per square kilometre compare
- 63 Guatemala 192.33 units per square kilometre compare
- 64 Denmark 188.43 units per square kilometre compare
- 65 Indonesia 186.07 units per square kilometre compare
More science & technology data for China
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 131.75 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.33 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 1.87 billion (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 2.73 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 2.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 932,712 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0007 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 square kilometre in China?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in China was 194.33 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 194.33 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 units per square kilometre in 1980.
- How does China rank for mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre?
- China ranks 62nd out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 44 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 Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Mobile phone subscriptions International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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 Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.