Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre was 89.37 units per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1965–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in South Africa is 89.37 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
That represents a change of up 8.1% on the previous year and up 41.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 89.37 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0 units per square kilometre, in 1965.
That places South Africa 115th out of 212 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1970 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1975 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1976 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1977 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1978 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1979 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1980 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1981 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1982 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1983 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1984 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1985 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1986 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1987 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1988 | 0 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1989 | 0.0033 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1990 | 0.0047 units per square kilometre | +42.7% |
| 1991 | 0.0059 units per square kilometre | +25.0% |
| 1992 | 0.0103 units per square kilometre | +76.2% |
| 1993 | 0.033 units per square kilometre | +219.7% |
| 1994 | 0.2803 units per square kilometre | +750.0% |
| 1995 | 0.441 units per square kilometre | +57.4% |
| 1996 | 0.7856 units per square kilometre | +78.1% |
| 1997 | 1.51 units per square kilometre | +92.7% |
| 1998 | 2.75 units per square kilometre | +81.8% |
| 1999 | 4.28 units per square kilometre | +55.5% |
| 2000 | 6.87 units per square kilometre | +60.7% |
| 2001 | 8.89 units per square kilometre | +29.4% |
| 2002 | 11.3 units per square kilometre | +27.0% |
| 2003 | 13.9 units per square kilometre | +23.0% |
| 2004 | 17.18 units per square kilometre | +23.6% |
| 2005 | 27.99 units per square kilometre | +63.0% |
| 2006 | 32.7 units per square kilometre | +16.8% |
| 2007 | 34.87 units per square kilometre | +6.7% |
| 2008 | 37.1 units per square kilometre | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 38.28 units per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 41.52 units per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 2011 | 52.76 units per square kilometre | +27.1% |
| 2012 | 56.38 units per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 2013 | 63.36 units per square kilometre | +12.4% |
| 2014 | 65.35 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 72.54 units per square kilometre | +11.0% |
| 2016 | 67.94 units per square kilometre | -6.3% |
| 2017 | 72.95 units per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 2018 | 76.19 units per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 79.94 units per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 79.1 units per square kilometre | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 82.7 units per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 82.65 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 89.37 units per square kilometre | +8.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 89.37 units per square kilometre is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 89.71 units per square kilometre, 100% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 89.37 units per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 63.09 units per square kilometre, 1.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +750.0% | 0.033 units per square kilometre | 0.2803 units per square kilometre |
| 1993 | +219.7% | 0.0103 units per square kilometre | 0.033 units per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 units per square kilometre | 0 units per square kilometre | 0 units per square kilometre | 1 |
| 1970s | 0 units per square kilometre | 0 units per square kilometre | 0 units per square kilometre | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.0003 units per square kilometre | 0 units per square kilometre | 0.0033 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.01 units per square kilometre | 0.0047 units per square kilometre | 4.28 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.91 units per square kilometre | 6.87 units per square kilometre | 38.28 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 64.89 units per square kilometre | 41.52 units per square kilometre | 79.94 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.46 units per square kilometre | 79.1 units per square kilometre | 89.37 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 112 Iran 92.86 units per square kilometre compare
- 113 Eswatini 91.86 units per square kilometre compare
- 114 Tonga 90.05 units per square kilometre compare
- 116 Marshall Islands 88.41 units per square kilometre compare
- 117 Greece 88.04 units per square kilometre compare
- 118 Jordan 87.02 units per square kilometre compare
More infrastructure data for South Africa
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 179.34 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 1.01 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 1.58 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0158 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -25.13 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 1.01 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre in South Africa was 89.37 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 89.37 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 units per square kilometre in 1965.
- How does South Africa rank for mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 115th out of 212 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Mobile cellular subscriptions divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Mobile cellular subscriptions ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Mobile cellular subscriptions World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Mobile cellular subscriptions divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.