Fixed telephone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Fixed telephone subscriptions was 19.75 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Fixed telephone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia, 1970–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 19.75 per 100 people for fixed telephone subscriptions in 2024.
That represents a change of down 3.2% on the previous year and up 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fixed telephone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia peaked at 21.05 per 100 people in 2022 and was at its lowest, 1.53 per 100 people, in 1970.
Saudi Arabia ranks 62nd of 214 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fixed telephone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 1.53 per 100 people | — |
| 1971 | 1.6 per 100 people | +4.6% |
| 1972 | 1.6 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.6 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.6 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.75 per 100 people | +9.0% |
| 1976 | 1.69 per 100 people | -3.0% |
| 1977 | 1.75 per 100 people | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 2.14 per 100 people | +22.4% |
| 1979 | 2.86 per 100 people | +33.9% |
| 1980 | 3.14 per 100 people | +9.7% |
| 1981 | 4.8 per 100 people | +52.7% |
| 1982 | 6.19 per 100 people | +29.1% |
| 1983 | 6.73 per 100 people | +8.7% |
| 1984 | 7.23 per 100 people | +7.4% |
| 1985 | 7.03 per 100 people | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 7.1 per 100 people | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 7.13 per 100 people | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 7.27 per 100 people | +2.0% |
| 1989 | 7.33 per 100 people | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 11.6 per 100 people | +58.4% |
| 1991 | 13.1 per 100 people | +12.9% |
| 1992 | 13.4 per 100 people | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 13.2 per 100 people | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 13.1 per 100 people | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 12.9 per 100 people | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 13 per 100 people | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 13.1 per 100 people | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 14.5 per 100 people | +10.7% |
| 1999 | 17.5 per 100 people | +20.7% |
| 2000 | 18.33 per 100 people | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 18.97 per 100 people | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 19.08 per 100 people | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 18.64 per 100 people | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 18.79 per 100 people | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 18.7 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 18.41 per 100 people | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 17.86 per 100 people | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 17.61 per 100 people | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 17.22 per 100 people | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 16.56 per 100 people | -3.9% |
| 2011 | 17.75 per 100 people | +7.2% |
| 2012 | 17.74 per 100 people | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 17.62 per 100 people | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 12.5 per 100 people | -29.1% |
| 2016 | 13.8 per 100 people | +10.4% |
| 2017 | 15.14 per 100 people | +9.7% |
| 2018 | 17.74 per 100 people | +17.2% |
| 2019 | 17.65 per 100 people | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 18.55 per 100 people | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 21.05 per 100 people | +13.5% |
| 2022 | 21.05 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 20.41 per 100 people | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 19.75 per 100 people | -3.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 19.75 per 100 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 24.32 per 100 people, 81% of the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 19.75 per 100 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 11.83 per 100 people, 1.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fixed telephone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +58.4% | 7.33 per 100 people | 11.6 per 100 people |
| 1981 | +52.7% | 3.14 per 100 people | 4.8 per 100 people |
| 1979 | +33.9% | 2.14 per 100 people | 2.86 per 100 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.81 per 100 people | 1.53 per 100 people | 2.86 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.39 per 100 people | 3.14 per 100 people | 7.33 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.54 per 100 people | 11.6 per 100 people | 17.5 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.36 per 100 people | 17.22 per 100 people | 19.08 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.28 per 100 people | 12.5 per 100 people | 17.75 per 100 people | 9 |
| 2020s | 20.16 per 100 people | 18.55 per 100 people | 21.05 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 59 United Arab Emirates 20.8 per 100 people compare
- 60 Ireland 20.51 per 100 people compare
- 61 American Samoa 20.05 per 100 people compare
- 63 Trinidad and Tobago 19.75 per 100 people compare
- 64 Suriname 19.56 per 100 people compare
- 65 Bosnia and Herzegovina 18.43 per 100 people compare
More infrastructure data for Saudi Arabia
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 54.18 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 159.54 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 6.71 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.19 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 6.71 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.53 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 54.18 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fixed telephone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia?
- Fixed telephone subscriptions in Saudi Arabia was 19.75 per 100 people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 21.05 per 100 people in 2022.
- What is the lowest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.53 per 100 people in 1970.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for fixed telephone subscriptions?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 62nd out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fixed telephone subscriptions rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Fixed telephone subscriptions refers to the sum of active number of analogue fixed telephone lines, voice-over-IP (VoIP) subscriptions, fixed wireless local loop (WLL) subscriptions, ISDN voice-channel equivalents and fixed public payphones.