Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 159.54 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Saudi Arabia, 1990–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 159.54 per 100 people for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Saudi Arabia peaked at 206.85 per 100 people in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.0847 per 100 people, in 1995.
That places Saudi Arabia 23rd out of 212 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0928 per 100 people | — |
| 1991 | 0.0921 per 100 people | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 0.0916 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 0.0891 per 100 people | -2.7% |
| 1994 | 0.0869 per 100 people | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 0.0847 per 100 people | -2.5% |
| 1996 | 0.9827 per 100 people | +1059.5% |
| 1997 | 1.67 per 100 people | +69.5% |
| 1998 | 3.06 per 100 people | +84.0% |
| 1999 | 3.98 per 100 people | +30.0% |
| 2000 | 8.5 per 100 people | +113.6% |
| 2001 | 14.84 per 100 people | +74.5% |
| 2002 | 27.96 per 100 people | +88.4% |
| 2003 | 38.53 per 100 people | +37.8% |
| 2004 | 46.65 per 100 people | +21.1% |
| 2005 | 68.89 per 100 people | +47.7% |
| 2006 | 91.8 per 100 people | +33.3% |
| 2007 | 126.97 per 100 people | +38.3% |
| 2008 | 154.59 per 100 people | +21.8% |
| 2009 | 185.25 per 100 people | +19.8% |
| 2010 | 204.97 per 100 people | +10.6% |
| 2011 | 206.85 per 100 people | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 195.84 per 100 people | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 189.48 per 100 people | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 181.86 per 100 people | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 176.13 per 100 people | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 156.04 per 100 people | -11.4% |
| 2017 | 130.63 per 100 people | -16.3% |
| 2018 | 136.05 per 100 people | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 135.53 per 100 people | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 139.44 per 100 people | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 145 per 100 people | +4.0% |
| 2022 | 149.8 per 100 people | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 157.78 per 100 people | +5.3% |
| 2024 | 159.54 per 100 people | +1.1% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 159.54 per 100 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 125.74 per 100 people, 1.3× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 159.54 per 100 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 117.61 per 100 people, 1.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people 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 | +1059.5% | 0.0847 per 100 people | 0.9827 per 100 people |
| 2000 | +113.6% | 3.98 per 100 people | 8.5 per 100 people |
| 2002 | +88.4% | 14.84 per 100 people | 27.96 per 100 people |
| 1998 | +84.0% | 1.67 per 100 people | 3.06 per 100 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.02 per 100 people | 0.0847 per 100 people | 3.98 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 76.4 per 100 people | 8.5 per 100 people | 185.25 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 171.34 per 100 people | 130.63 per 100 people | 206.85 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 150.31 per 100 people | 139.44 per 100 people | 159.54 per 100 people | 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 per 100 people in Saudi Arabia?
- Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in Saudi Arabia was 159.54 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 206.85 per 100 people in 2011.
- What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0847 per 100 people in 1995.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 23rd out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.3%. 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 per 100 people. 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).
About this data
This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.