Number of radio sets by country
Please cite the International Telecommunication Union for third-party use of these data. The total number of radio sets. A radio set is a device capable of receiving broadcast radio signals, using popular frequencies, such as FM, AM, LW and SW. A radio set may be a stand-alone device, or it may be integrated into...
What the numbers show
Number of radio sets is currently reported for 53 countries. The highest value is 30.96 million in Nigeria; the lowest is 1,000 in Liberia.
The median across all reporting countries is 1.30 million, and the mean is 3.66 million.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 30,960.
Over the past decade 47 countries rose and 5 fell. The largest increase was in Mozambique (up 718.2%), and the largest decrease in Liberia (down 99.9%).
Number of radio sets: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nigeria | 30.96 million | 2005 | up 40.7% | rising |
| 2 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 20.00 million | 2002 | up 122.2% | rising |
| 3 | Sudan | 15.15 million | 2002 | up 127.5% | volatile |
| 4 | Egypt | 14.56 million | 2008 | — | rising |
| 5 | Tanzania | 14.41 million | 2002 | up 121.6% | volatile |
| 6 | Ethiopia | 12.00 million | 2001 | up 25.1% | volatile |
| 7 | South Africa | 11.29 million | 2002 | down 6.7% | rising |
| 8 | Morocco | 9.72 million | 2001 | up 47.7% | volatile |
| 9 | Algeria | 7.20 million | 2002 | up 16.9% | rising |
| 10 | Kenya | 6.88 million | 2002 | up 212.6% | volatile |
| 11 | Mozambique | 4.50 million | 2001 | up 718.2% | volatile |
| 12 | Uganda | 4.02 million | 2002 | up 91.5% | volatile |
| 13 | Malawi | 3.24 million | 2002 | up 41.5% | rising |
| 14 | Benin | 3.22 million | 2007 | up 381.0% | volatile |
| 15 | Ghana | 2.70 million | 2001 | down 23.5% | rising |
| 16 | Cote d'Ivoire | 2.40 million | 2002 | up 112.4% | rising |
| 17 | Eritrea | 2.20 million | 2008 | up 46.7% | rising |
| 18 | Madagascar | 2.08 million | 2002 | up 49.6% | rising |
| 19 | Cameroon | 2.03 million | 2002 | up 30.0% | rising |
| 20 | Togo | 2.00 million | 2002 | up 152.8% | rising |
| 21 | Zimbabwe | 1.80 million | 2008 | down 55.1% | volatile |
| 22 | Mali | 1.62 million | 2002 | up 78.6% | volatile |
| 23 | Zambia | 1.61 million | 2002 | up 128.9% | volatile |
| 24 | Tunisia | 1.49 million | 1999 | down 0.7% | rising |
| 25 | Burkina Faso | 1.42 million | 2004 | up 61.4% | volatile |
| 26 | Libya | 1.35 million | 1997 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 27 | Botswana | 1.30 million | 2002 | up 712.5% | volatile |
| 27 | Sierra Leone | 1.30 million | 2001 | up 37.1% | rising |
| 29 | Rwanda | 1.24 million | 2002 | up 97.9% | volatile |
| 30 | Senegal | 1.21 million | 2004 | up 34.4% | rising |
| 31 | Angola | 1.18 million | 2002 | up 319.5% | volatile |
| 32 | Burundi | 1.17 million | 2003 | up 125.0% | volatile |
| 33 | Chad | 910,000 | 2002 | up 118.8% | rising |
| 34 | Niger | 780,000 | 2002 | up 32.2% | rising |
| 35 | Guinea | 715,000 | 2002 | up 72.7% | volatile |
| 36 | Somalia | 470,000 | 2001 | up 42.4% | volatile |
| 37 | Mauritius | 460,000 | 2001 | up 18.3% | rising |
| 38 | Central African Republic | 430,000 | 2002 | up 59.3% | volatile |
| 39 | Eswatini | 400,000 | 2008 | up 150.0% | volatile |
| 40 | Namibia | 398,000 | 2002 | up 104.1% | rising |
| 41 | Congo | 380,000 | 2001 | up 46.2% | rising |
| 42 | Mauritania | 370,000 | 2002 | up 19.7% | rising |
| 43 | Gabon | 300,500 | 2005 | up 76.8% | rising |
| 44 | Gambia | 200,000 | 2001 | up 29.0% | rising |
| 45 | Equatorial Guinea | 180,000 | 1997 | up 32.4% | rising |
| 46 | Lesotho | 135,000 | 2003 | up 114.3% | volatile |
| 47 | Comoros | 117,000 | 2002 | up 56.0% | rising |
| 48 | Cape Verde | 83,100 | 2002 | up 31.9% | rising |
| 49 | Djibouti | 70,000 | 2002 | up 59.1% | volatile |
| 50 | Guinea-Bissau | 59,000 | 2002 | up 47.5% | rising |
| 51 | Sao Tome and Principe | 45,500 | 2002 | up 33.8% | rising |
| 52 | Seychelles | 42,000 | 2002 | up 23.5% | rising |
| 53 | Liberia | 1,000 | 2007 | down 99.9% | rising |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Africa 18.96 million
- North Africa 14.56 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 4.40 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa 4.40 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa 4.40 million
- Sub-Saharan Africa excluding South Africa and Nigeria 4.40 million
About this data
Please cite the International Telecommunication Union for third-party use of these data. The total number of radio sets. A radio set is a device capable of receiving broadcast radio signals, using popular frequencies, such as FM, AM, LW and SW. A radio set may be a stand-alone device, or it may be integrated into another device, such as a Walkman, a car or an alarm clock.