Countries by Mobile Subscriptions per 100 People 2026

About This Dataset

Countries ranked by mobile cellular telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in 2026, according to ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators data. Countries with rates significantly above 100 — including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Russia — reflect populations carrying multiple SIM cards simultaneously, either for personal and business use separation, to exploit different operator pricing for calls versus data, or because expatriate workers maintain connections to home-country networks alongside local numbers. The UAE's rate of over 200 subscriptions per 100 people reflects its extraordinarily high share of expatriate residents, many of whom maintain connections across multiple networks, combined with sophisticated business travellers and a population accustomed to operating across international telecommunications systems.

✨ AI Insight

The disparity in mobile subscriptions per 100 people reveals significant differences in telecommunications usage across countries. The UAE's rate of 208 subscriptions is notably high, indicative of a large expatriate community and a culture of heavy mobile usage. Saudi Arabia and Russia follow with 192 and 182 subscriptions, respectively, reflecting similar trends of multiple SIM card ownership. In contrast, countries like India, with only 85 subscriptions per 100 people, highlight a stark gap in mobile connectivity. This suggests that while some nations are rapidly adopting mobile technology, others may still face barriers to widespread access, potentially due to economic factors or infrastructure limitations.

Source: Wikipedia

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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UAE leads with 208 in 2026.

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Average value in 2026: 153 · median: 154.

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Gap in 2026: UAE is 2.4× larger than India.