Mobile cellular subscriptions in Botswana
Botswana: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 4.13 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Botswana, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions in Botswana is 4.13 million, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% on the previous year and up 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Botswana peaked at 4.44 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
Botswana ranks 132nd 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.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 0 | — |
| 1994 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | 15,190 | — |
| 1999 | 92,000 | +505.7% |
| 2000 | 222,190 | +141.5% |
| 2001 | 332,264 | +49.5% |
| 2002 | 332,264 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 444,978 | +33.9% |
| 2004 | 522,840 | +17.5% |
| 2005 | 563,782 | +7.8% |
| 2006 | 823,070 | +46.0% |
| 2007 | 1.15 million | +39.9% |
| 2008 | 1.49 million | +29.0% |
| 2009 | 1.87 million | +26.1% |
| 2010 | 2.36 million | +26.1% |
| 2011 | 2.90 million | +22.7% |
| 2012 | 3.08 million | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 3.25 million | +5.4% |
| 2014 | 3.41 million | +5.0% |
| 2015 | 3.48 million | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 3.29 million | -5.4% |
| 2017 | 3.24 million | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 3.38 million | +4.3% |
| 2019 | 3.75 million | +10.8% |
| 2020 | 3.83 million | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 4.16 million | +8.6% |
| 2022 | 4.35 million | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 4.44 million | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 4.13 million | -6.9% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 4.13 million is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.01 million, 52% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 4.13 million is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.69 million, 30% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions in Botswana 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +505.7% | 15,190 | 92,000 |
| 2000 | +141.5% | 92,000 | 222,190 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10,719 | 0 | 92,000 | 10 |
| 2000s | 775,304 | 222,190 | 1.87 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.21 million | 2.36 million | 3.75 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.18 million | 3.83 million | 4.44 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More infrastructure data for Botswana
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 164 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 83,182 (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 3.3 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.033 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -7.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 83,182 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.64 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 4.13 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Botswana?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Botswana was 4.13 million in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 4.44 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does Botswana rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Botswana ranks 132nd out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.