Mobile phone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Mobile phone subscriptions was 54.18 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile phone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia, 1990–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 54.18 million for mobile phone subscriptions in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia peaked at 54.18 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14,851, in 1990.
Saudi Arabia ranks 34th 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 phone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14,851 | — |
| 1991 | 15,331 | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 15,828 | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 15,910 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 15,959 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 16,008 | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 190,736 | +1091.5% |
| 1997 | 332,068 | +74.1% |
| 1998 | 627,321 | +88.9% |
| 1999 | 836,628 | +33.4% |
| 2000 | 1.38 million | +64.5% |
| 2001 | 2.53 million | +83.8% |
| 2002 | 5.01 million | +98.0% |
| 2003 | 7.24 million | +44.5% |
| 2004 | 9.18 million | +26.8% |
| 2005 | 14.16 million | +54.4% |
| 2006 | 19.70 million | +39.1% |
| 2007 | 28.40 million | +44.2% |
| 2008 | 36.00 million | +26.8% |
| 2009 | 44.86 million | +24.6% |
| 2010 | 51.56 million | +14.9% |
| 2011 | 54.00 million | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 53.00 million | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 53.10 million | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 52.73 million | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 52.80 million | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 47.93 million | -9.2% |
| 2017 | 40.21 million | -16.1% |
| 2018 | 41.31 million | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 41.30 million | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 43.22 million | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 45.43 million | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 48.20 million | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 52.48 million | +8.9% |
| 2024 | 54.18 million | +3.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 54.18 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.70 million, 11.5× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 54.18 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 16.65 million, 3.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile phone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +1091.5% | 16,008 | 190,736 |
| 2002 | +98.0% | 2.53 million | 5.01 million |
| 1998 | +88.9% | 332,068 | 627,321 |
| 2001 | +83.8% | 1.38 million | 2.53 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 208,064 | 14,851 | 836,628 | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.85 million | 1.38 million | 44.86 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.80 million | 40.21 million | 54.00 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.70 million | 43.22 million | 54.18 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More science & technology data for Saudi Arabia
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 159.54 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.53 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 54.18 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 24.41 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 1.12 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 3.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 24,595 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0007 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile phone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia?
- Mobile phone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia was 54.18 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 54.18 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14,851 in 1990.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for mobile phone subscriptions?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 34th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile phone subscriptions rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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 — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).