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Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Malaysia

Malaysia: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 139.66 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
139.66 per 100 people
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
42nd
of 212 countries
All-time high
146.37 per 100 people
in 2014
All-time low
0 per 100 people
in 1980
Years of data
44
1980–2024

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

0501001501980200220241980: 0 per 100 people1981: 0 per 100 people1982: 0 per 100 people1983: 0 per 100 people1984: 0 per 100 people1986: 0.07 per 100 people1987: 0.109 per 100 people1988: 0.165 per 100 people1989: 0.232 per 100 people1990: 0.494 per 100 people1991: 0.722 per 100 people1992: 1.1 per 100 people1993: 1.8 per 100 people1994: 2.9 per 100 people1995: 5 per 100 people1996: 7.3 per 100 people1997: 9.4 per 100 people1998: 10.1 per 100 people1999: 13.4 per 100 people2000: 22.3 per 100 people2001: 31.4 per 100 people2002: 37.6 per 100 people2003: 45.1 per 100 people2004: 57.8 per 100 people2005: 75.7 per 100 people2006: 73.7 per 100 people2007: 86.5 per 100 people2008: 100.5 per 100 people2009: 107.2 per 100 people2010: 118.2 per 100 people2011: 125.7 per 100 people2012: 139.3 per 100 people2013: 142.5 per 100 people2014: 146.4 per 100 people2015: 141.2 per 100 people2016: 136.7 per 100 people2017: 130.9 per 100 people2018: 128.9 per 100 people2019: 133.4 per 100 people2020: 129 per 100 people2021: 137.7 per 100 people2022: 138.2 per 100 people2023: 142.7 per 100 people2024: 139.7 per 100 people

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

Analysis

Malaysia recorded 139.66 per 100 people for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 4.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Malaysia peaked at 146.37 per 100 people in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1980.

Malaysia ranks 42nd 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 per 100 people in Malaysia, 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 —
1986 0.0695 per 100 people —
1987 0.1086 per 100 people +56.2%
1988 0.1652 per 100 people +52.1%
1989 0.2316 per 100 people +40.2%
1990 0.4945 per 100 people +113.5%
1991 0.7215 per 100 people +45.9%
1992 1.08 per 100 people +50.0%
1993 1.78 per 100 people +64.9%
1994 2.92 per 100 people +63.5%
1995 4.99 per 100 people +71.0%
1996 7.35 per 100 people +47.2%
1997 9.41 per 100 people +28.1%
1998 10.09 per 100 people +7.2%
1999 13.37 per 100 people +32.5%
2000 22.3 per 100 people +66.8%
2001 31.39 per 100 people +40.8%
2002 37.56 per 100 people +19.7%
2003 45.07 per 100 people +20.0%
2004 57.85 per 100 people +28.3%
2005 75.65 per 100 people +30.8%
2006 73.68 per 100 people -2.6%
2007 86.48 per 100 people +17.4%
2008 100.52 per 100 people +16.2%
2009 107.18 per 100 people +6.6%
2010 118.16 per 100 people +10.2%
2011 125.72 per 100 people +6.4%
2012 139.31 per 100 people +10.8%
2013 142.52 per 100 people +2.3%
2014 146.37 per 100 people +2.7%
2015 141.21 per 100 people -3.5%
2016 136.72 per 100 people -3.2%
2017 130.85 per 100 people -4.3%
2018 128.87 per 100 people -1.5%
2019 133.37 per 100 people +3.5%
2020 129.02 per 100 people -3.3%
2021 137.69 per 100 people +6.7%
2022 138.21 per 100 people +0.4%
2023 142.73 per 100 people +3.3%
2024 139.66 per 100 people -2.1%

Malaysia compared with similar countries

  • Malaysia's 139.66 per 100 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 120.66 per 100 people, 1.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
  • Malaysia's 139.66 per 100 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 115.3 per 100 people, 1.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.0639 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 0.2316 per 100 people 9
1990s 5.22 per 100 people 0.4945 per 100 people 13.37 per 100 people 10
2000s 63.77 per 100 people 22.3 per 100 people 107.18 per 100 people 10
2010s 134.31 per 100 people 118.16 per 100 people 146.37 per 100 people 10
2020s 137.46 per 100 people 129.02 per 100 people 142.73 per 100 people 5

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 39 Argentina 140.24 per 100 people compare
  2. 40 Slovakia 139.97 per 100 people compare
  3. 41 Eswatini 139.83 per 100 people compare
  4. 43 Cayman Islands 139.31 per 100 people compare
  5. 44 Lithuania 138.73 per 100 people compare
  6. 45 Poland 138.02 per 100 people compare

See the full ranking of 212 places →

More science & technology data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Malaysia?
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Malaysia was 139.66 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 Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 146.37 per 100 people in 2014.
What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1980.
How does Malaysia rank for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
Malaysia ranks 42nd out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
Is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malaysia 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 Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-per-100-people-2/malaysia/

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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.