Mobile cellular subscriptions in Somalia
Somalia: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 9.91 million in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Somalia, 1960–2023
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
Somalia recorded 9.91 million for mobile cellular subscriptions in 2023. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.0% on the previous year and up 91.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Somalia peaked at 9.91 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
That places Somalia 94th out of 214 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 in Somalia, 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 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 80,000 | — |
| 2001 | 85,000 | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 100,000 | +17.6% |
| 2003 | 200,000 | +100.0% |
| 2004 | 500,000 | +150.0% |
| 2005 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 550,000 | +10.0% |
| 2007 | 600,000 | +9.1% |
| 2008 | 627,000 | +4.5% |
| 2009 | 641,000 | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 648,200 | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 1.80 million | +177.7% |
| 2012 | 2.30 million | +27.8% |
| 2013 | 5.18 million | +125.3% |
| 2014 | 5.50 million | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 5.84 million | +6.1% |
| 2016 | 6.65 million | +14.0% |
| 2017 | 7.12 million | +7.0% |
| 2018 | 7.65 million | +7.5% |
| 2019 | 8.23 million | +7.5% |
| 2020 | 8.84 million | +7.5% |
| 2021 | 8.84 million | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 8.84 million | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 9.91 million | +12.0% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 9.91 million is below the median for low income countries, which is 15.00 million, 66% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 9.91 million is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.69 million, 72% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions in Somalia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +177.7% | 648,200 | 1.80 million |
| 2004 | +150.0% | 200,000 | 500,000 |
| 2013 | +125.3% | 2.30 million | 5.18 million |
| 2003 | +100.0% | 100,000 | 200,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2000s | 388,300 | 80,000 | 641,000 | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.09 million | 648,200 | 8.23 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.11 million | 8.84 million | 9.91 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More infrastructure data for Somalia
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 53.96 per 100 people (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 55,005 (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.2996 per 100 people (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.003 units per person (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -39.55 % change on previous year (2023)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 55,005 (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.5396 units per person (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0009 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 9.91 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Somalia?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Somalia was 9.91 million in 2023, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 9.91 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does Somalia rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Somalia ranks 94th out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 91.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia 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 — 52 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.