Landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa
South Africa: Landline phone subscriptions per 100 people was 1.58 per 100 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
In 2024, landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa stood at 1.58 per 100 people. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
That represents a change of down 26.1% on the previous year and down 75.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa peaked at 11.8 per 100 people in 1999 and was at its lowest, 1.58 per 100 people, in 2024.
That places South Africa 162nd out of 212 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.87 per 100 people | 3.8 per 100 people | 3.93 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.49 per 100 people | 4.1 per 100 people | 5.25 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.79 per 100 people | 5.54 per 100 people | 7.97 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.28 per 100 people | 8.14 per 100 people | 11.8 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.95 per 100 people | 9.41 per 100 people | 10.52 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.37 per 100 people | 3.4 per 100 people | 9.29 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.34 per 100 people | 1.58 per 100 people | 3.47 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.191 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 1.36 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.6318 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.18 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.2153 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 209.92 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa?
- Landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa was 1.58 per 100 people in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest landline phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.8 per 100 people in 1999.
- What is the lowest landline phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.58 per 100 people in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for landline phone subscriptions per 100 people?
- South Africa ranks 162nd out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is landline phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Landline phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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