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 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
| Botswana | % | 151% | 140% | 135% | 138% | 150% | ||||||||||||||||
| Costa Rica | % | 154% | 168% | 177% | 169% | 168% | ||||||||||||||||
| El Salvador | % | 150% | 154% | 151% | 150% | 166% | ||||||||||||||||
| Hong Kong | % | 226% | 236% | 247% | 266% | 286% | ||||||||||||||||
| Iran | % | 90.7% | 96.7% | 103% | 104% | 136% | ||||||||||||||||
| Ivory Coast | % | 108% | 113% | 128% | 133% | 143% | ||||||||||||||||
| Japan | % | 126% | 131% | 136% | 142% | 148% | ||||||||||||||||
| Kuwait | % | 196% | 189% | 173% | 164% | 165% | ||||||||||||||||
| Macao | % | 308% | 314% | 321% | 335% | 421% | ... | |||||||||||||||
| Montenegro | % | ... | 159% | 164% | 165% | 180% | 183% | |||||||||||||||
| Russia | % | 157% | 158% | 156% | 157% | 164% | ||||||||||||||||
| Seychelles | % | 149% | 151% | 164% | 174% | 186% | ||||||||||||||||
| South Africa | % | 157% | 146% | 156% | 161% | 167% | ||||||||||||||||
| Thailand | % | 146% | 169% | 171% | 176% | 182% | ||||||||||||||||
| United Arab Emirates | % | 201% | 221% | 219% | 220% | 213% |
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