Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre was 348.57 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in United Kingdom, 1980–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in United Kingdom is 348.57 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 44 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in United Kingdom peaked at 348.57 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0 units per square kilometre, in 1980.
United Kingdom ranks 39th of 212 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 United Kingdom, 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 | 0.2067 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1986 | 0.5373 units per square kilometre | +160.0% |
| 1987 | 1.2 units per square kilometre | +123.1% |
| 1988 | 2.31 units per square kilometre | +93.1% |
| 1989 | 4.03 units per square kilometre | +74.1% |
| 1990 | 4.6 units per square kilometre | +14.3% |
| 1991 | 5.21 units per square kilometre | +13.1% |
| 1992 | 6.23 units per square kilometre | +19.6% |
| 1993 | 9.37 units per square kilometre | +50.5% |
| 1994 | 16.29 units per square kilometre | +73.7% |
| 1995 | 23.71 units per square kilometre | +45.6% |
| 1996 | 29.96 units per square kilometre | +26.4% |
| 1997 | 36.54 units per square kilometre | +22.0% |
| 1998 | 61.5 units per square kilometre | +68.3% |
| 1999 | 112.37 units per square kilometre | +82.7% |
| 2000 | 179.61 units per square kilometre | +59.8% |
| 2001 | 191.31 units per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 2002 | 203.48 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 2003 | 224.26 units per square kilometre | +10.2% |
| 2004 | 246.72 units per square kilometre | +10.0% |
| 2005 | 270.62 units per square kilometre | +9.7% |
| 2006 | 289.66 units per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 305.2 units per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 309.76 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 316.13 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 317.16 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 318.94 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 323.77 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 325.19 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 324.31 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 327.58 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 326.26 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 326.95 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 326.09 units per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 333.57 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 326.57 units per square kilometre | -2.1% |
| 2021 | 329.74 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 337.71 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 348.57 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 348.57 units per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 156.89 units per square kilometre, 2.2× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 348.57 units per square kilometre is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 102.42 units per square kilometre, 3.4× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | +160.0% | 0.2067 units per square kilometre | 0.5373 units per square kilometre |
| 1987 | +123.1% | 0.5373 units per square kilometre | 1.2 units per square kilometre |
| 1988 | +93.1% | 1.2 units per square kilometre | 2.31 units per square kilometre |
| 1999 | +82.7% | 61.5 units per square kilometre | 112.37 units per square kilometre |
| 1989 | +74.1% | 2.31 units per square kilometre | 4.03 units per square kilometre |
| 1994 | +73.7% | 9.37 units per square kilometre | 16.29 units per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.8288 units per square kilometre | 0 units per square kilometre | 4.03 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.58 units per square kilometre | 4.6 units per square kilometre | 112.37 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 253.67 units per square kilometre | 179.61 units per square kilometre | 316.13 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 324.98 units per square kilometre | 317.16 units per square kilometre | 333.57 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 335.65 units per square kilometre | 326.57 units per square kilometre | 348.57 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 36 India 389.67 units per square kilometre compare
- 37 Luxembourg 373.24 units per square kilometre compare
- 38 Seychelles 359.5 units per square kilometre compare
- 40 Burundi 336.71 units per square kilometre compare
- 41 Grenada 329.28 units per square kilometre compare
- 42 Tuvalu 329.27 units per square kilometre compare
More science & technology data for United Kingdom
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 121.64 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.21 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 84.10 million (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.9277 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate -0.2704 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 97,536 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0014 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 United Kingdom?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre in United Kingdom was 348.57 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 348.57 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 units per square kilometre in 1980.
- How does United Kingdom rank for mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre?
- United Kingdom ranks 39th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.