Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in China
China: Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people was 131.75 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
131.75 per 100 people
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
53rd
of 212 countries
All-time high
131.75 per 100 people
in 2024
All-time low
0 per 100 people
in 1960
Years of data
53
1960–2024
Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in China, 1960–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
China recorded 131.75 per 100 people for mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.7% on the previous year and up 42.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in China peaked at 131.75 per 100 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
That places China 53rd 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 and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in China, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1970 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1975 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1976 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1977 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1979 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 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 | 0.0001 per 100 people | — |
| 1988 | 0.0003 per 100 people | +353.3% |
| 1989 | 0.0009 per 100 people | +198.9% |
| 1990 | 0.0016 per 100 people | +83.7% |
| 1991 | 0.0041 per 100 people | +155.8% |
| 1992 | 0.0149 per 100 people | +268.0% |
| 1993 | 0.0534 per 100 people | +256.9% |
| 1994 | 0.1299 per 100 people | +143.4% |
| 1995 | 0.2979 per 100 people | +129.4% |
| 1996 | 0.5579 per 100 people | +87.3% |
| 1997 | 1.07 per 100 people | +91.6% |
| 1998 | 1.91 per 100 people | +79.0% |
| 1999 | 3.45 per 100 people | +80.2% |
| 2000 | 6.72 per 100 people | +94.7% |
| 2001 | 11.33 per 100 people | +68.6% |
| 2002 | 16.01 per 100 people | +41.3% |
| 2003 | 20.85 per 100 people | +30.3% |
| 2004 | 25.71 per 100 people | +23.3% |
| 2005 | 30.03 per 100 people | +16.8% |
| 2006 | 34.98 per 100 people | +16.5% |
| 2007 | 41.28 per 100 people | +18.0% |
| 2008 | 48.08 per 100 people | +16.5% |
| 2009 | 55.66 per 100 people | +15.8% |
| 2010 | 63.56 per 100 people | +14.2% |
| 2011 | 72.51 per 100 people | +14.1% |
| 2012 | 81.21 per 100 people | +12.0% |
| 2013 | 89.13 per 100 people | +9.8% |
| 2014 | 92.66 per 100 people | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 92.54 per 100 people | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 97.21 per 100 people | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 104.07 per 100 people | +7.1% |
| 2018 | 116.23 per 100 people | +11.7% |
| 2019 | 122.67 per 100 people | +5.5% |
| 2020 | 120.5 per 100 people | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 121.49 per 100 people | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 124.19 per 100 people | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 128.25 per 100 people | +3.3% |
| 2024 | 131.75 per 100 people | +2.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 131.75 per 100 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 120.66 per 100 people, 1.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 131.75 per 100 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 115.3 per 100 people, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +353.3% | 0.0001 per 100 people | 0.0003 per 100 people |
| 1992 | +268.0% | 0.0041 per 100 people | 0.0149 per 100 people |
| 1993 | +256.9% | 0.0149 per 100 people | 0.0534 per 100 people |
| 1989 | +198.9% | 0.0003 per 100 people | 0.0009 per 100 people |
| 1991 | +155.8% | 0.0016 per 100 people | 0.0041 per 100 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.0001 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0.0009 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7491 per 100 people | 0.0016 per 100 people | 3.45 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 29.06 per 100 people | 6.72 per 100 people | 55.66 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 93.18 per 100 people | 63.56 per 100 people | 122.67 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 125.24 per 100 people | 120.5 per 100 people | 131.75 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More science & technology data for China
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 131.75 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.33 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 1.87 billion (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 194.33 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 2.73 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 2.5 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 932,712 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0007 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in China?
- Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in China was 131.75 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 and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 131.75 per 100 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does China rank for mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people?
- China ranks 53rd out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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 and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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