Based on a comparison of 178 countries in 2021, Macao ranked the highest in mobile phone penetration as a percentage of population with 413% followed by Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates. On the other end of the scale was South Sudan with 12.7%, Dem. People's Republic of Korea with 23.2% and Kosovo with 32.3%.
Average mobile phone penetration as a percentage of population reached 110% in 2021 in the World according to World Bank. This is 4.11 % more than in the previous year and 24.2 % more than 10 years ago.
Historically, average mobile phone penetration as a percentage of population reached an all time high of 110% in 2021 and an all time low of < 0.001% in 1980. The average annual growth amounted to 34.8 % since 1980.
Data for more countries are available at Mobile Phone Penetration (As % of Population) indicator page.
| Mobile Phone Penetration (As % of Population) | Unit | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| Botswana | % | 143% | 147% | 161% | 162% | 173% | ||||||||||||||||
| Costa Rica | % | 180% | 171% | 146% | 149% | 155% | ||||||||||||||||
| El Salvador | % | 153% | 152% | 167% | 160% | 177% | ||||||||||||||||
| Hong Kong | % | 247% | 266% | 287% | 292% | 320% | ||||||||||||||||
| Iran | % | 102% | 103% | 136% | 145% | 154% | ||||||||||||||||
| Ivory Coast | % | 119% | 123% | 133% | 139% | 150% | ||||||||||||||||
| Japan | % | 136% | 142% | 147% | 154% | 160% | ||||||||||||||||
| Kuwait | % | 172% | 164% | 165% | 154% | 159% | ||||||||||||||||
| Macao | % | 317% | 331% | 416% | 237% | 184% | ||||||||||||||||
| Montenegro | % | ... | 168% | 184% | 188% | 178% | 185% | |||||||||||||||
| Russia | % | 155% | 157% | 164% | 163% | 169% | ||||||||||||||||
| Seychelles | % | 149% | 156% | 165% | 153% | 149% | ||||||||||||||||
| South Africa | % | 154% | 158% | 163% | 158% | 163% | ||||||||||||||||
| Thailand | % | 171% | 175% | 181% | 162% | 168% | ||||||||||||||||
| United Arab Emirates | % | 215% | 215% | 209% | 194% | 186% |
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