Proportion of population covered by at least a 3G mobile network in South Africa
South Africa: Proportion of population covered by at least a 3G mobile network was 99.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Proportion of population covered by at least a 3G mobile network in South Africa, 2012–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of population covered by at least a 3g mobile network in South Africa is 99.8%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population covered by at least a 3g mobile network in South Africa peaked at 99.9% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 84.2%, in 2012.
South Africa ranks 55th of 206 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Proportion of population covered by at least a 3G mobile network in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 84.2% | — |
| 2013 | 90.4% | +7.3% |
| 2014 | 95.0% | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 98.0% | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 98.0% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 98.6% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 99.5% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 99.7% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 99.8% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 99.9% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 99.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 99.8% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 99.8% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 95.4% | 84.2% | 99.7% | 8 |
| 2020s | 99.8% | 99.8% | 99.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 54 North Macedonia 99.9% compare
- 55 Bermuda 99.8% compare
- 57 Australia and New Zealand 99.8% compare
- 58 Rwanda 99.8% compare
More science & technology data for South Africa
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 179.34 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 89.37 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 14,949 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population covered by at least a 3g mobile network in South Africa?
- Proportion of population covered by at least a 3g mobile network in South Africa was 99.8% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of population covered by at least a 3g mobile network recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 99.9% in 2021.
- What is the lowest proportion of population covered by at least a 3g mobile network recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 84.2% in 2012.
- How does South Africa rank for proportion of population covered by at least a 3g mobile network?
- South Africa ranks 55th out of 206 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of population covered by at least a 3g mobile network rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population covered by at least a 3G mobile network (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).