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Telephone mainlines in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa: Telephone mainlines was 13.97 per 1,000 people in 2011. ▲ Rising

Latest (2011)
13.97 per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 4.7%
Rank
3rd
of 6 groups
All-time high
15.35 per 1,000 people
in 2009
All-time low
5.08 per 1,000 people
in 1960
Years of data
39
1960–2011

Telephone mainlines in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2011

57.51012.5151960198520111960: 5.1 per 1,000 people1970: 6.3 per 1,000 people1975: 7.1 per 1,000 people1976: 7 per 1,000 people1977: 7.4 per 1,000 people1978: 8 per 1,000 people1979: 8.3 per 1,000 people1980: 8.7 per 1,000 people1981: 7.1 per 1,000 people1982: 7.4 per 1,000 people1983: 7.7 per 1,000 people1984: 7.9 per 1,000 people1985: 8.1 per 1,000 people1986: 8.6 per 1,000 people1987: 8.8 per 1,000 people1988: 9.2 per 1,000 people1989: 9.6 per 1,000 people1990: 10 per 1,000 people1991: 10.2 per 1,000 people1992: 10.1 per 1,000 people1993: 10.3 per 1,000 people1994: 10.6 per 1,000 people1995: 11.1 per 1,000 people1996: 11.7 per 1,000 people1997: 12.4 per 1,000 people1998: 13.3 per 1,000 people1999: 14.3 per 1,000 people2000: 13.9 per 1,000 people2001: 14.2 per 1,000 people2002: 14.5 per 1,000 people2003: 15 per 1,000 people2004: 15.3 per 1,000 people2005: 14.8 per 1,000 people2006: 15.3 per 1,000 people2007: 15.2 per 1,000 people2008: 14.7 per 1,000 people2009: 15.4 per 1,000 people2010: 14.7 per 1,000 people2011: 14 per 1,000 people

Source: International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates. Measured in per 1,000 people.

Analysis

In 2011, telephone mainlines in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 13.97 per 1,000 people.

The figure is down 4.7% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, telephone mainlines in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 15.35 per 1,000 people in 2009 and was at its lowest, 5.08 per 1,000 people, in 1960.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 39 years of available data.

Telephone mainlines in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year

Year per 1,000 people Change
1960 5.08 per 1,000 people —
1970 6.29 per 1,000 people +23.8%
1975 7.13 per 1,000 people +13.4%
1976 7.04 per 1,000 people -1.2%
1977 7.37 per 1,000 people +4.7%
1978 8 per 1,000 people +8.5%
1979 8.35 per 1,000 people +4.3%
1980 8.66 per 1,000 people +3.8%
1981 7.11 per 1,000 people -18.0%
1982 7.41 per 1,000 people +4.3%
1983 7.74 per 1,000 people +4.4%
1984 7.87 per 1,000 people +1.7%
1985 8.14 per 1,000 people +3.5%
1986 8.61 per 1,000 people +5.8%
1987 8.85 per 1,000 people +2.7%
1988 9.18 per 1,000 people +3.7%
1989 9.57 per 1,000 people +4.2%
1990 10.02 per 1,000 people +4.7%
1991 10.2 per 1,000 people +1.8%
1992 10.12 per 1,000 people -0.8%
1993 10.31 per 1,000 people +1.9%
1994 10.63 per 1,000 people +3.1%
1995 11.13 per 1,000 people +4.6%
1996 11.66 per 1,000 people +4.8%
1997 12.4 per 1,000 people +6.4%
1998 13.35 per 1,000 people +7.6%
1999 14.28 per 1,000 people +7.0%
2000 13.94 per 1,000 people -2.4%
2001 14.17 per 1,000 people +1.7%
2002 14.53 per 1,000 people +2.5%
2003 15.01 per 1,000 people +3.3%
2004 15.3 per 1,000 people +1.9%
2005 14.78 per 1,000 people -3.4%
2006 15.34 per 1,000 people +3.8%
2007 15.19 per 1,000 people -0.9%
2008 14.71 per 1,000 people -3.1%
2009 15.35 per 1,000 people +4.3%
2010 14.66 per 1,000 people -4.5%
2011 13.97 per 1,000 people -4.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 5.08 per 1,000 people 5.08 per 1,000 people 5.08 per 1,000 people 1
1970s 7.37 per 1,000 people 6.29 per 1,000 people 8.35 per 1,000 people 6
1980s 8.31 per 1,000 people 7.11 per 1,000 people 9.57 per 1,000 people 10
1990s 11.41 per 1,000 people 10.02 per 1,000 people 14.28 per 1,000 people 10
2000s 14.83 per 1,000 people 13.94 per 1,000 people 15.35 per 1,000 people 10
2010s 14.31 per 1,000 people 13.97 per 1,000 people 14.66 per 1,000 people 2

Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa

  1. 1 Seychelles 324.56 per 1,000 people compare
  2. 2 Mauritius 291.28 per 1,000 people compare
  3. 3 Libya 155.7 per 1,000 people compare
  4. 4 Cape Verde 148.83 per 1,000 people compare
  5. 5 Tunisia 114.09 per 1,000 people compare
  6. 6 Morocco 110.5 per 1,000 people compare

See the full ranking of 59 places →

More science & technology data for Sub-Saharan Africa

All data for Sub-Saharan Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is telephone mainlines in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Telephone mainlines in Sub-Saharan Africa was 13.97 per 1,000 people in 2011, according to International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates.
What is the highest telephone mainlines recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The highest recorded value was 15.35 per 1,000 people in 2009.
What is the lowest telephone mainlines recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 5.08 per 1,000 people in 1960.
How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for telephone mainlines?
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
Is telephone mainlines rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates, published as part of Telephone mainlines (per 1,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Telephone mainlines in Sub-Saharan Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/telephone-mainlines-per-1-000-people/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Telephone mainlines (per 1,000 people)
Unit
per 1,000 people
Source
International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
59 places, 2,199 data points, 1960–2011
Last refreshed

Please cite the International Telecommunication Union for third-party use of these data. Telephone mainlines are fixed telephone lines connecting a subscriber to the telephone exchange equipment.