Public payphones in Zambia

Zambia: Public payphones was 4,875 in 2009. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2009)
4,875
Change on year
down 10.4%
World rank
18th
of 51 countries
All-time high
5,440
in 2007
All-time low
142
in 1981
Years of data
22
1980–2009

Public payphones in Zambia, 1980–2009

02.0k4.0k6.0k1980199420091980: 1581981: 1421988: 4461989: 4411990: 4741991: 4871992: 5331993: 5261994: 5481995: 5461996: 5131997: 5151998: 5541999: 9032000: 8722001: 8752002: 8782003: 8832004: 8652005: 7502007: 5.4k2009: 4.9k

Source: International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates.

Analysis

Zambia recorded 4,875 for public payphones in 2009.

The figure is down 10.4% on the previous year and up 439.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, public payphones in Zambia peaked at 5,440 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 142, in 1981.

That places Zambia 18th out of 51 countries with data for 2009, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Public payphones in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for Public payphones in Zambia, 1980 to 2009.
Year Value Change
1980 158
1981 142 -10.1%
1988 446 +214.1%
1989 441 -1.1%
1990 474 +7.5%
1991 487 +2.7%
1992 533 +9.4%
1993 526 -1.3%
1994 548 +4.2%
1995 546 -0.4%
1996 513 -6.0%
1997 515 +0.4%
1998 554 +7.6%
1999 903 +63.0%
2000 872 -3.4%
2001 875 +0.3%
2002 878 +0.3%
2003 883 +0.6%
2004 865 -2.0%
2005 750 -13.3%
2007 5,440 +625.3%
2009 4,875 -10.4%

Zambia compared with similar countries

  • Zambia's 4,875 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3,321, 1.5× the median. (24 countries reporting)
  • Zambia's 4,875 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,803, 2.7× the median. (45 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Public payphones in Zambia 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.

YearChange FromTo
2007 +625.3% 750 5,440
1988 +214.1% 142 446
1999 +63.0% 554 903

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 296.75 142 446 4
1990s 559.9 474 903 10
2000s 1,930 750 5,440 8

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 15 Ghana 5,231 compare
  2. 16 Ethiopia 5,025 compare
  3. 17 Burundi 5,000 compare
  4. 19 Kenya 4,681 compare
  5. 20 Libya 4,499 compare
  6. 21 Namibia 4,200 compare

See the full ranking of 57 places →

More science & technology data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is public payphones in Zambia?
Public payphones in Zambia was 4,875 in 2009, according to International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates.
What is the highest public payphones recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 5,440 in 2007.
What is the lowest public payphones recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 142 in 1981.
How does Zambia rank for public payphones?
Zambia ranks 18th out of 51 countries with data for 2009.
Is public payphones rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 439.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates, published as part of Public payphones. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Public payphones in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/public-payphones/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
Public payphones
Source
International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
57 places, 943 data points, 1960–2011
Last refreshed

Please cite the International Telecommunication Union for third-party use of these data. Total number of all types of public telephones, including coin- and card-operated and public telephones in call offices. Publicly available phones installed in private places should also be included, as should mobile public telephones. All public telephones regardless of capability (e.g., local calls or national only) should be counted. If the national definition of "payphone" differs from that above (e.g., by excluding pay phones in private places), then respondents should indicate their own definition.