Mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Mobile cellular subscriptions was 761.00 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1960–2025
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
In 2025, mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) stood at 761.00 million. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 109.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 761.00 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 29th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, 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 in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 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 | 2,911 | — |
| 1988 | 3,527 | +21.2% |
| 1989 | 4,955 | +40.5% |
| 1990 | 7,766 | +56.7% |
| 1991 | 13,482 | +73.6% |
| 1992 | 17,897 | +32.7% |
| 1993 | 27,278 | +52.4% |
| 1994 | 44,059 | +61.5% |
| 1995 | 200,747 | +355.6% |
| 1996 | 359,511 | +79.1% |
| 1997 | 845,233 | +135.1% |
| 1998 | 1.28 million | +51.3% |
| 1999 | 2.28 million | +78.0% |
| 2000 | 6.11 million | +168.6% |
| 2001 | 12.35 million | +102.1% |
| 2002 | 17.24 million | +39.5% |
| 2003 | 24.45 million | +41.8% |
| 2004 | 38.55 million | +57.7% |
| 2005 | 67.38 million | +74.8% |
| 2006 | 104.97 million | +55.8% |
| 2007 | 151.53 million | +44.4% |
| 2008 | 189.31 million | +24.9% |
| 2009 | 234.06 million | +23.6% |
| 2010 | 269.79 million | +15.3% |
| 2011 | 298.15 million | +10.5% |
| 2012 | 323.65 million | +8.6% |
| 2013 | 349.06 million | +7.8% |
| 2014 | 357.50 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 364.08 million | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 370.19 million | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 382.75 million | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 376.05 million | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 418.59 million | +11.3% |
| 2020 | 628.00 million | +50.0% |
| 2021 | 660.00 million | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 691.00 million | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 706.00 million | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 733.00 million | +3.8% |
| 2025 | 761.00 million | +3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 1,139 | 0 | 4,955 | 10 |
| 1990s | 506,973 | 7,766 | 2.28 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 84.59 million | 6.11 million | 234.06 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 350.98 million | 269.79 million | 418.59 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 696.50 million | 628.00 million | 761.00 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
More infrastructure data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 101 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 71.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 9.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0942 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 761.00 million (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 761.00 million 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 (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 761.00 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 29th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 109.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 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 — 54 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.