Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in South Africa
South Africa: Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people was 1.58 per 100 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
1.58 per 100 people
Change on year
down 26.1%
World rank
162nd
of 212 countries
All-time high
11.8 per 100 people
in 1999
All-time low
1.58 per 100 people
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Adoption of communication technologies 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
South Africa recorded 1.58 per 100 people for adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 26.1% on the previous year and down 75.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adoption of communication technologies 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.
South Africa ranks 162nd of 212 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 65 years of available data.
Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in South Africa, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.93 per 100 people | — |
| 1961 | 3.8 per 100 people | -3.4% |
| 1962 | 3.8 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 3.8 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 3.8 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 3.93 per 100 people | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 3.89 per 100 people | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 3.89 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 3.89 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 3.89 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 4.1 per 100 people | +5.1% |
| 1971 | 4.15 per 100 people | +1.4% |
| 1972 | 4.15 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 4.15 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 4.15 per 100 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 4.48 per 100 people | +8.0% |
| 1976 | 4.64 per 100 people | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 4.82 per 100 people | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 5 per 100 people | +3.9% |
| 1979 | 5.25 per 100 people | +5.0% |
| 1980 | 5.54 per 100 people | +5.4% |
| 1981 | 5.92 per 100 people | +6.8% |
| 1982 | 6.24 per 100 people | +5.5% |
| 1983 | 6.5 per 100 people | +4.2% |
| 1984 | 6.57 per 100 people | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 6.81 per 100 people | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 7.26 per 100 people | +6.7% |
| 1987 | 7.39 per 100 people | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 7.66 per 100 people | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 7.97 per 100 people | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 8.14 per 100 people | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 8.24 per 100 people | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 8.15 per 100 people | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 8.3 per 100 people | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 8.58 per 100 people | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 8.99 per 100 people | +4.8% |
| 1996 | 9.44 per 100 people | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 10.2 per 100 people | +8.1% |
| 1998 | 11 per 100 people | +7.8% |
| 1999 | 11.8 per 100 people | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 10.52 per 100 people | -10.8% |
| 2001 | 10.35 per 100 people | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 10.24 per 100 people | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 10.12 per 100 people | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 10.01 per 100 people | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 9.89 per 100 people | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 9.78 per 100 people | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 9.66 per 100 people | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 9.54 per 100 people | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 9.41 per 100 people | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 9.29 per 100 people | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 9.16 per 100 people | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 9.01 per 100 people | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 7.09 per 100 people | -21.4% |
| 2014 | 6.56 per 100 people | -7.4% |
| 2015 | 7.28 per 100 people | +11.0% |
| 2016 | 7.9 per 100 people | +8.5% |
| 2017 | 8.35 per 100 people | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 5.71 per 100 people | -31.6% |
| 2019 | 3.4 per 100 people | -40.5% |
| 2020 | 3.47 per 100 people | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 2.39 per 100 people | -30.9% |
| 2022 | 2.1 per 100 people | -12.3% |
| 2023 | 2.14 per 100 people | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 1.58 per 100 people | -26.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.58 per 100 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 10.7 per 100 people, 15% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.58 per 100 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.3436 per 100 people, 4.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | -40.5% | 5.71 per 100 people | 3.4 per 100 people |
| 2018 | -31.6% | 8.35 per 100 people | 5.71 per 100 people |
| 2021 | -30.9% | 3.47 per 100 people | 2.39 per 100 people |
| 2024 | -26.1% | 2.14 per 100 people | 1.58 per 100 people |
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
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is adoption of communication technologies per 100 people in South Africa?
- Adoption of communication technologies 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 adoption of communication technologies per 100 people recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 11.8 per 100 people in 1999.
- What is the lowest adoption of communication technologies 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 adoption of communication technologies per 100 people?
- South Africa ranks 162nd out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is adoption of communication technologies 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 Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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