Mobile phone subscriptions in Norway
Norway: Mobile phone subscriptions was 6.10 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile phone subscriptions in Norway, 1980–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2024, mobile phone subscriptions in Norway stood at 6.10 million. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 6.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions in Norway peaked at 6.10 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1980.
That places Norway 119th out of 212 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile phone subscriptions in Norway, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 1,670 | — |
| 1982 | 11,059 | +562.2% |
| 1983 | 23,473 | +112.3% |
| 1984 | 39,050 | +66.4% |
| 1985 | 63,075 | +61.5% |
| 1986 | 87,061 | +38.0% |
| 1987 | 120,029 | +37.9% |
| 1988 | 152,193 | +26.8% |
| 1989 | 167,651 | +10.2% |
| 1990 | 196,828 | +17.4% |
| 1991 | 234,423 | +19.1% |
| 1992 | 282,918 | +20.7% |
| 1993 | 371,403 | +31.3% |
| 1994 | 588,478 | +58.4% |
| 1995 | 981,305 | +66.8% |
| 1996 | 1.26 million | +28.5% |
| 1997 | 1.68 million | +32.9% |
| 1998 | 2.07 million | +23.6% |
| 1999 | 2.66 million | +28.6% |
| 2000 | 3.22 million | +21.0% |
| 2001 | 3.59 million | +11.4% |
| 2002 | 3.79 million | +5.5% |
| 2003 | 4.06 million | +7.1% |
| 2004 | 4.52 million | +11.4% |
| 2005 | 4.75 million | +5.1% |
| 2006 | 4.87 million | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 5.04 million | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 5.21 million | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 5.35 million | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 5.60 million | +4.6% |
| 2011 | 5.73 million | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 5.80 million | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 5.69 million | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 5.74 million | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 5.71 million | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 5.73 million | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 5.72 million | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 5.72 million | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 5.78 million | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 5.83 million | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 5.93 million | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 6.09 million | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 6.05 million | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 6.10 million | +0.8% |
Norway compared with similar countries
- Norway's 6.10 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.70 million, 1.3× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Norway's 6.10 million is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.71 million, 79% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile phone subscriptions in Norway 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +562.2% | 1,670 | 11,059 |
| 1983 | +112.3% | 11,059 | 23,473 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 66,526 | 0 | 167,651 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.03 million | 196,828 | 2.66 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.44 million | 3.22 million | 5.35 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.72 million | 5.60 million | 5.80 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.00 million | 5.83 million | 6.10 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Norway
- 116 North Korea 6.35 million compare
- 117 Turkmenistan 6.25 million compare
- 118 Georgia 6.14 million compare
- 120 Congo 6.05 million compare
- 121 Ireland 5.92 million compare
- 122 South Sudan 5.35 million compare
More science & technology data for Norway
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 109.35 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.09 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 6.10 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 16.61 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate -0.2781 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.7601 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 13,756 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0025 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile phone subscriptions in Norway?
- Mobile phone subscriptions in Norway was 6.10 million 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 Norway?
- The highest recorded value was 6.10 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions recorded in Norway?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1980.
- How does Norway rank for mobile phone subscriptions?
- Norway ranks 119th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile phone subscriptions rising or falling in Norway?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Norway 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).