Mobile phone subscriptions in China
China: Mobile phone subscriptions was 1.87 billion in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile phone subscriptions in China, 1980–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
China recorded 1.87 billion for mobile phone subscriptions in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 45.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions in China peaked at 1.87 billion in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1980.
China ranks 1st 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 phone subscriptions in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 700 | — |
| 1988 | 3,227 | +361.0% |
| 1989 | 9,805 | +203.8% |
| 1990 | 18,319 | +86.8% |
| 1991 | 47,544 | +159.5% |
| 1992 | 176,943 | +272.2% |
| 1993 | 638,000 | +260.6% |
| 1994 | 1.57 million | +145.8% |
| 1995 | 3.63 million | +131.4% |
| 1996 | 6.85 million | +88.8% |
| 1997 | 13.23 million | +93.1% |
| 1998 | 23.86 million | +80.3% |
| 1999 | 43.30 million | +81.4% |
| 2000 | 85.26 million | +96.9% |
| 2001 | 144.82 million | +69.9% |
| 2002 | 206.00 million | +42.2% |
| 2003 | 269.95 million | +31.0% |
| 2004 | 334.82 million | +24.0% |
| 2005 | 393.41 million | +17.5% |
| 2006 | 461.06 million | +17.2% |
| 2007 | 547.31 million | +18.7% |
| 2008 | 641.25 million | +17.2% |
| 2009 | 747.21 million | +16.5% |
| 2010 | 859.00 million | +15.0% |
| 2011 | 986.25 million | +14.8% |
| 2012 | 1.11 billion | +12.8% |
| 2013 | 1.23 billion | +10.5% |
| 2014 | 1.29 billion | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 1.29 billion | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 1.36 billion | +5.6% |
| 2017 | 1.47 billion | +7.7% |
| 2018 | 1.65 billion | +12.2% |
| 2019 | 1.75 billion | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 1.72 billion | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 1.73 billion | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.77 billion | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 1.82 billion | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 1.87 billion | +2.5% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.87 billion is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.03 million, 233.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 1.87 billion is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.10 million, 456.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile phone subscriptions 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% | 700 | 3,227 |
| 1992 | +272.2% | 47,544 | 176,943 |
| 1993 | +260.6% | 176,943 | 638,000 |
| 1989 | +203.8% | 3,227 | 9,805 |
| 1991 | +159.5% | 18,319 | 47,544 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,373 | 0 | 9,805 | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.33 million | 18,319 | 43.30 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 383.11 million | 85.26 million | 747.21 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.30 billion | 859.00 million | 1.75 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.78 billion | 1.72 billion | 1.87 billion | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
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 cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 194.33 units per square kilometre (2023)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile phone subscriptions in China?
- Mobile phone subscriptions in China was 1.87 billion in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.87 billion in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1980.
- How does China rank for mobile phone subscriptions?
- China ranks 1st out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile phone subscriptions rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 45.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).