Mobile cellular subscriptions in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 54.18 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Saudi Arabia, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
In 2024, mobile cellular subscriptions in Saudi Arabia stood at 54.18 million. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.2% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Saudi Arabia peaked at 54.18 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14,851, in 1990.
That places Saudi Arabia 34th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14,851 | — |
| 1991 | 15,331 | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 15,828 | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 15,910 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 15,959 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 16,008 | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 190,736 | +1091.5% |
| 1997 | 332,068 | +74.1% |
| 1998 | 627,321 | +88.9% |
| 1999 | 836,628 | +33.4% |
| 2000 | 1.38 million | +64.5% |
| 2001 | 2.53 million | +83.8% |
| 2002 | 5.01 million | +98.0% |
| 2003 | 7.24 million | +44.5% |
| 2004 | 9.18 million | +26.8% |
| 2005 | 14.16 million | +54.4% |
| 2006 | 19.70 million | +39.1% |
| 2007 | 28.40 million | +44.2% |
| 2008 | 36.00 million | +26.8% |
| 2009 | 44.86 million | +24.6% |
| 2010 | 51.56 million | +14.9% |
| 2011 | 54.00 million | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 53.00 million | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 53.10 million | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 52.73 million | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 52.80 million | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 47.93 million | -9.2% |
| 2017 | 40.21 million | -16.1% |
| 2018 | 41.31 million | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 41.30 million | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 43.22 million | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 45.43 million | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 48.20 million | +6.1% |
| 2023 | 52.48 million | +8.9% |
| 2024 | 54.18 million | +3.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 54.18 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.70 million, 11.5× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 54.18 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 16.65 million, 3.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +1091.5% | 16,008 | 190,736 |
| 2002 | +98.0% | 2.53 million | 5.01 million |
| 1998 | +88.9% | 332,068 | 627,321 |
| 2001 | +83.8% | 1.38 million | 2.53 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 208,064 | 14,851 | 836,628 | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.85 million | 1.38 million | 44.86 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.80 million | 40.21 million | 54.00 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.70 million | 43.22 million | 54.18 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More infrastructure data for Saudi Arabia
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 159.54 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 6.71 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 19.75 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.19 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 6.71 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.53 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 54.18 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Saudi Arabia?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Saudi Arabia was 54.18 million in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 54.18 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14,851 in 1990.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 34th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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 — 35 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.