Mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Mobile cellular subscriptions was 101.1 per 100 people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 1960–2025
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
In 2025, mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) stood at 101.1 per 100 people.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 101.8 per 100 people in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 29th of 47 groups 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.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1970 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1975 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1976 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1977 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1979 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1980 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1981 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1982 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1983 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1984 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1985 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1986 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1987 | 0.0014 per 100 people | — |
| 1988 | 0.0016 per 100 people | +17.8% |
| 1989 | 0.0022 per 100 people | +36.7% |
| 1990 | 0.0034 per 100 people | +52.3% |
| 1991 | 0.0058 per 100 people | +68.9% |
| 1992 | 0.0075 per 100 people | +29.5% |
| 1993 | 0.0112 per 100 people | +49.2% |
| 1994 | 0.0177 per 100 people | +58.2% |
| 1995 | 0.0788 per 100 people | +346.2% |
| 1996 | 0.1383 per 100 people | +75.5% |
| 1997 | 0.3187 per 100 people | +130.5% |
| 1998 | 0.4727 per 100 people | +48.3% |
| 1999 | 0.825 per 100 people | +74.5% |
| 2000 | 2.17 per 100 people | +163.1% |
| 2001 | 4.25 per 100 people | +95.6% |
| 2002 | 5.82 per 100 people | +37.0% |
| 2003 | 8.14 per 100 people | +39.9% |
| 2004 | 12.59 per 100 people | +54.6% |
| 2005 | 21.65 per 100 people | +72.0% |
| 2006 | 33.11 per 100 people | +53.0% |
| 2007 | 46.96 per 100 people | +41.8% |
| 2008 | 57.56 per 100 people | +22.6% |
| 2009 | 69.78 per 100 people | +21.2% |
| 2010 | 78.72 per 100 people | +12.8% |
| 2011 | 85.39 per 100 people | +8.5% |
| 2012 | 91.02 per 100 people | +6.6% |
| 2013 | 96.3 per 100 people | +5.8% |
| 2014 | 96.67 per 100 people | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 94.9 per 100 people | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 94.8 per 100 people | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 96.3 per 100 people | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 95 per 100 people | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 101.8 per 100 people | +7.2% |
| 2020 | 90.7 per 100 people | -10.9% |
| 2021 | 93.8 per 100 people | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 96.5 per 100 people | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 97 per 100 people | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 99 per 100 people | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 101.1 per 100 people | +2.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.0005 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0.0022 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1879 per 100 people | 0.0034 per 100 people | 0.825 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.2 per 100 people | 2.17 per 100 people | 69.78 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 93.09 per 100 people | 78.72 per 100 people | 101.8 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 96.35 per 100 people | 90.7 per 100 people | 101.1 per 100 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
More infrastructure data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 757.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 71.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 9.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0949 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 71.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.01 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 757.00 million (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 101.1 per 100 people in 2025, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 101.8 per 100 people in 2019.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 29th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the PSTN using cellular technology. The indicator includes (and is split into) the number of postpaid subscriptions, and the number of active prepaid accounts (i.e. that have been used during the last three months). The indicator applies to all mobile cellular subscriptions that offer voice communications. It excludes subscriptions via data cards or USB modems, subscriptions to public mobile data services, private trunked mobile radio, telepoint, radio paging and telemetry services.