Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa
South Africa: Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people was 179.34 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 179.34 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.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa peaked at 179.34 per 100 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
That places South Africa 10th out of 212 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
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 | 0.001 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0.0103 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.68 per 100 people | 0.0142 per 100 people | 11.19 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.57 per 100 people | 17.68 per 100 people | 89.77 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 140.04 per 100 people | 96.23 per 100 people | 162.74 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 166.63 per 100 people | 158.45 per 100 people | 179.34 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More science & technology data for South Africa
- Scientific and technical journal articles 14,949 (2023)
- Mobile phone subscriptions 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people 179.34 per 100 people (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 9,156 (2021)
- Share of the population using the Internet 78.4% (2024)
- Patent applications, residents 1,804 (2021)
- Research and development expenditure 0.6% (2022)
- Number of people using the Internet 46.11 million users (2021)
- Landline Internet subscriptions per 100 people 5.35 per 100 people (2024)
- Landline Internet subscriptions 3.42 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa?
- Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa was 179.34 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 179.34 per 100 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people?
- South Africa ranks 10th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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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