Landline phone subscriptions, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Landline phone subscriptions, per capita was 0.0158 units per person in 2024. ▲ Rising
Landline phone subscriptions, per capita in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.
Analysis
In 2024, landline phone subscriptions, per capita in South Africa stood at 0.0158 units per person. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 26.1% on the previous year and down 75.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, landline phone subscriptions, per capita in South Africa peaked at 0.1175 units per person in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.0158 units per person, 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.
Landline phone subscriptions, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | units per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.0395 units per person | — |
| 1961 | 0.0384 units per person | -2.8% |
| 1962 | 0.0373 units per person | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 0.0362 units per person | -3.0% |
| 1964 | 0.0351 units per person | -3.0% |
| 1965 | 0.0396 units per person | +12.6% |
| 1966 | 0.0383 units per person | -3.1% |
| 1967 | 0.0372 units per person | -3.1% |
| 1968 | 0.036 units per person | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 0.0349 units per person | -3.0% |
| 1970 | 0.0411 units per person | +17.7% |
| 1971 | 0.0399 units per person | -2.9% |
| 1972 | 0.0388 units per person | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 0.0377 units per person | -2.8% |
| 1974 | 0.0367 units per person | -2.8% |
| 1975 | 0.045 units per person | +22.8% |
| 1976 | 0.0466 units per person | +3.5% |
| 1977 | 0.0483 units per person | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 0.0502 units per person | +3.8% |
| 1979 | 0.0527 units per person | +5.0% |
| 1980 | 0.0553 units per person | +5.0% |
| 1981 | 0.0586 units per person | +5.9% |
| 1982 | 0.0613 units per person | +4.6% |
| 1983 | 0.0633 units per person | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 0.0635 units per person | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 0.0656 units per person | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 0.07 units per person | +6.8% |
| 1987 | 0.0715 units per person | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 0.0745 units per person | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 0.0777 units per person | +4.4% |
| 1990 | 0.0814 units per person | +4.7% |
| 1991 | 0.0824 units per person | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 0.0815 units per person | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 0.083 units per person | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 0.0858 units per person | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 0.0899 units per person | +4.7% |
| 1996 | 0.0944 units per person | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 0.1017 units per person | +7.8% |
| 1998 | 0.1098 units per person | +7.9% |
| 1999 | 0.1175 units per person | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 0.1052 units per person | -10.5% |
| 2001 | 0.1035 units per person | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 0.1024 units per person | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 0.1012 units per person | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 0.1001 units per person | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 0.0989 units per person | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 0.0978 units per person | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 0.0966 units per person | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 0.0954 units per person | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 0.0941 units per person | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 0.0929 units per person | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 0.0916 units per person | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 0.0901 units per person | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 0.0709 units per person | -21.4% |
| 2014 | 0.0656 units per person | -7.4% |
| 2015 | 0.0728 units per person | +11.0% |
| 2016 | 0.079 units per person | +8.5% |
| 2017 | 0.0835 units per person | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 0.0571 units per person | -31.6% |
| 2019 | 0.034 units per person | -40.5% |
| 2020 | 0.0347 units per person | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 0.0239 units per person | -30.9% |
| 2022 | 0.021 units per person | -12.3% |
| 2023 | 0.0214 units per person | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 0.0158 units per person | -26.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.0158 units per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.107 units per person, 15% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.0158 units per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0034 units per person, 4.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Landline phone subscriptions, per capita 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% | 0.0571 units per person | 0.034 units per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0373 units per person | 0.0349 units per person | 0.0396 units per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0437 units per person | 0.0367 units per person | 0.0527 units per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0661 units per person | 0.0553 units per person | 0.0777 units per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0927 units per person | 0.0814 units per person | 0.1175 units per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0995 units per person | 0.0941 units per person | 0.1052 units per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0737 units per person | 0.034 units per person | 0.0929 units per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0234 units per person | 0.0158 units per person | 0.0347 units per person | 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 landline phone subscriptions, per capita in South Africa?
- Landline phone subscriptions, per capita in South Africa was 0.0158 units per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest landline phone subscriptions, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1175 units per person in 1999.
- What is the lowest landline phone subscriptions, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0158 units per person in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for landline phone subscriptions, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 162nd out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is landline phone subscriptions, per capita 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 Statizoid (derived), published as part of Landline phone subscriptions, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Landline phone subscriptions divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Landline phone subscriptions ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Landline phone subscriptions International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Landline phone subscriptions divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.