Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers was 478.47 million in 2011. ◆ Volatile
Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1960–2011
Source: International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database.
Analysis
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 478.47 million for mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in 2011. That is the highest value across all 39 years on record.
That represents a change of up 20.0% on the previous year and up 1,696.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 478.47 million in 2011 and was at its lowest, 844,742, in 1960.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 844,742 | 844,742 | 844,742 | 1 |
| 1970s | 1.84 million | 1.34 million | 2.20 million | 6 |
| 1980s | 3.53 million | 2.37 million | 4.69 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.05 million | 5.05 million | 15.65 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 124.08 million | 20.65 million | 329.32 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 438.59 million | 398.71 million | 478.47 million | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
More infrastructure data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 5.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 90.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 1.20 billion (2025)
- Air transport, passengers carried 56.96 million (2023)
- Air transport, freight 4,829 million ton-km (2023)
- Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide 717,259 (2023)
- Renewable internal freshwater resources, total 3,884 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita 3,162 cubic meters (2022)
- Individuals using the Internet 35.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa was 478.47 million in 2011, according to International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database.
- What is the highest mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 478.47 million in 2011.
- What is the lowest mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 844,742 in 1960.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 2nd out of 6 groups with data for 2011.
- Is mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,696.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database, published as part of Mobile and fixed-line telephone subscribers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 39 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database.