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Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Botswana

Botswana: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 164 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
164 per 100 people
Change on year
down 8.4%
World rank
20th
of 212 countries
All-time high
179.03 per 100 people
in 2023
All-time low
0 per 100 people
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Botswana, 1980–2024

0501001502001980200220241980: 0 per 100 people1981: 0 per 100 people1982: 0 per 100 people1983: 0 per 100 people1984: 0 per 100 people1985: 0 per 100 people1986: 0 per 100 people1987: 0 per 100 people1988: 0 per 100 people1989: 0 per 100 people1990: 0 per 100 people1991: 0 per 100 people1992: 0 per 100 people1993: 0 per 100 people1994: 0 per 100 people1995: 0 per 100 people1996: 0 per 100 people1997: 0 per 100 people1998: 0.917 per 100 people1999: 5.4 per 100 people2000: 13.2 per 100 people2001: 19.4 per 100 people2002: 19 per 100 people2003: 25.1 per 100 people2004: 28.9 per 100 people2005: 30.6 per 100 people2006: 43.9 per 100 people2007: 60.3 per 100 people2008: 76.2 per 100 people2009: 94.1 per 100 people2010: 116.2 per 100 people2011: 139.9 per 100 people2012: 146.1 per 100 people2013: 151.7 per 100 people2014: 157 per 100 people2015: 157.7 per 100 people2016: 147.2 per 100 people2017: 143 per 100 people2018: 147.1 per 100 people2019: 160.7 per 100 people2020: 161.9 per 100 people2021: 173.3 per 100 people2022: 178.2 per 100 people2023: 179 per 100 people2024: 164 per 100 people

Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.

Analysis

Botswana recorded 164 per 100 people for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in 2024.

The figure is down 8.4% on the previous year and up 4.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Botswana peaked at 179.03 per 100 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1980.

Botswana ranks 20th 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 per 100 people in Botswana, year by year

Year per 100 people Change
1980 0 per 100 people —
1981 0 per 100 people —
1982 0 per 100 people —
1983 0 per 100 people —
1984 0 per 100 people —
1985 0 per 100 people —
1986 0 per 100 people —
1987 0 per 100 people —
1988 0 per 100 people —
1989 0 per 100 people —
1990 0 per 100 people —
1991 0 per 100 people —
1992 0 per 100 people —
1993 0 per 100 people —
1994 0 per 100 people —
1995 0 per 100 people —
1996 0 per 100 people —
1997 0 per 100 people —
1998 0.9174 per 100 people —
1999 5.44 per 100 people +492.8%
2000 13.25 per 100 people +143.6%
2001 19.41 per 100 people +46.5%
2002 19.04 per 100 people -1.9%
2003 25.06 per 100 people +31.6%
2004 28.93 per 100 people +15.5%
2005 30.64 per 100 people +5.9%
2006 43.91 per 100 people +43.3%
2007 60.26 per 100 people +37.2%
2008 76.2 per 100 people +26.4%
2009 94.14 per 100 people +23.6%
2010 116.25 per 100 people +23.5%
2011 139.87 per 100 people +20.3%
2012 146.15 per 100 people +4.5%
2013 151.67 per 100 people +3.8%
2014 157.02 per 100 people +3.5%
2015 157.74 per 100 people +0.5%
2016 147.17 per 100 people -6.7%
2017 142.96 per 100 people -2.9%
2018 147.06 per 100 people +2.9%
2019 160.66 per 100 people +9.2%
2020 161.86 per 100 people +0.7%
2021 173.25 per 100 people +7.0%
2022 178.21 per 100 people +2.9%
2023 179.03 per 100 people +0.5%
2024 164 per 100 people -8.4%

Botswana compared with similar countries

  • Botswana's 164 per 100 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 120.66 per 100 people, 1.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
  • Botswana's 164 per 100 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 93.72 per 100 people, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Botswana 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.

YearChange FromTo
1999 +492.8% 0.9174 per 100 people 5.44 per 100 people
2000 +143.6% 5.44 per 100 people 13.25 per 100 people

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 10
1990s 0.6356 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 5.44 per 100 people 10
2000s 41.08 per 100 people 13.25 per 100 people 94.14 per 100 people 10
2010s 146.66 per 100 people 116.25 per 100 people 160.66 per 100 people 10
2020s 171.27 per 100 people 161.86 per 100 people 179.03 per 100 people 5

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 17 South Korea 172.52 per 100 people compare
  2. 18 Singapore 170.78 per 100 people compare
  3. 19 Kuwait 167.68 per 100 people compare
  4. 21 Georgia 161.2 per 100 people compare
  5. 22 Thailand 160.64 per 100 people compare
  6. 23 Saudi Arabia 159.54 per 100 people compare

See the full ranking of 212 places →

More science & technology data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Botswana?
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Botswana was 164 per 100 people 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 per 100 people recorded in Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 179.03 per 100 people in 2023.
What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1980.
How does Botswana rank for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
Botswana ranks 20th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
Is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Botswana 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 per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Botswana. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-per-100-people-2/botswana/

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About this data

Indicator
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people
Unit
per 100 people
Source
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
212 places, 8,985 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed

This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.