Download source CSV for disaggregations
Headline data
| Year | Value | Series | GeoCode | Observation status | Unit multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 84 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2009 | 89 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2010 | 89 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2011 | 91 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2012 | 92 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2013 | 92 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2014 | 93 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2015 | 93 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2016 | 93 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2017 | 97 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2018 | 94 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2019 | 94 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2020 | 94 | Percentage of individuals who use a mobile telephone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2011 | 28 | Percentage of individuals who use a smartphone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2012 | 39 | Percentage of individuals who use a smartphone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2013 | 51 | Percentage of individuals who use a smartphone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2014 | 61 | Percentage of individuals who use a smartphone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2015 | 71 | Percentage of individuals who use a smartphone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2016 | 76 | Percentage of individuals who use a smartphone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2017 | 81 | Percentage of individuals who use a smartphone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2018 | 78 | Percentage of individuals who use a smartphone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2019 | 84 | Percentage of individuals who use a smartphone | Normal value | Units | |
| 2020 | 87 | Percentage of individuals who use a smartphone | Normal value | Units |
This section provides metadata for the data reported for this indicator at the national level and at the global level.
- Goal
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
- Target
Target 5.b: Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women
- Indicator
Indicator 5.b.1: Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex
- Series
Not Applicable
- Related indicators
1.4, 2.c, 11.b, 12.8, 13.1, 16.10, 17.8
- Custodian agencies
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
| Field | National | Global |
|---|---|---|
| Organisation | Not available for this indicator |
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) |
| Contact organisation unit | Not available for this indicator |
Not available for this indicator |
| Contact email address | Not available for this indicator |
Not available for this indicator |
| Field | National | Global |
|---|---|---|
| Definition and concepts | Not available for this indicator |
Definition: The proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex is defined as the ‘proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex’. Concepts: An individual owns a mobile cellular phone if he/she has a mobile cellular phone device with at least one active SIM card for personal use. Mobile cellular phones supplied by employers that can be used for personal reasons (to make personal calls, access the Internet, etc.) are included. Individuals who have only active SIM card(s) and not a mobile phone device are excluded. Individuals who have a mobile phone for personal use that is not registered under his/her name are also included. An active SIM card is a SIM card that has been used in the last three months. A mobile (cellular) telephone refers to a portable telephone subscribing to a public mobile telephone service using cellular technology, which provides access to the PSTN. This includes analogue and digital cellular systems and technologies such as IMT-2000 (3G) and IMT-Advanced. Users of both postpaid subscriptions and prepaid accounts are included. |
| Unit of measure | Not available for this indicator |
Percentage of individuals |
| Classifications | Not available for this indicator |
For countries that collect this data through an official survey, and if data allow breakdown and disaggregation, the indicator can be broken down by region (urban/rural), by sex, by age group, by educational level (ISCED), by labour force status (ILO), and by occupation (ISCO). ITU collects data for all of these breakdowns from countries. |
| Field | National | Global |
|---|---|---|
| Data sources | Not available for this indicator |
This indicator is a newly developed ITU indicator that was approved by the World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Symposium (WTIS) in 2014. The indicator’s definition and methodology were developed under the coordination of ITU, through its Expert Groups and following an extensive consultation process with countries. Data for the proportion of individuals owning a mobile phone were first collected in 2015, through an annual questionnaire that ITU sends to national statistical offices (NSO). In this questionnaire, through which ITU already collects a number of ICT indicators, ITU collects absolute values. The percentages are calculated a-posteriori. The survey methodology is verified to ensure that it meets adequate statistical standards. The data are verified to ensure consistency with previous years’ data and other relevant country-level indicators (ICT and economic). Data are usually not adjusted, but discrepancies in the definition, age scope of individuals, reference period or the break in comparability between years are noted in a data note. For this reason, data are not always strictly comparable. |
| Data collection method | Not available for this indicator |
ITU collects data on this indicator through an annual questionnaire that it sends to the heads of the national statistical offices (NSO). In this questionnaire, through which ITU already collects a number of ICT indicators, ITU collects absolute values. The percentages are calculated a-posteriori. The survey methodology is verified to ensure that it meets adequate statistical standards. The data are verified to ensure consistency with previous years’ data and other relevant country-level indicators (ICT and economic). |
| Data collection calendar | Not available for this indicator |
Various. Each survey has its own data collection cycle. ITU collects data twice a year from Member States, in Q1 and in Q3. |
| Data release calendar | Not available for this indicator |
Data are released twice a year, In July and December, in the World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database. |
| Data providers | Not available for this indicator |
National Statistical Offices (NSOs). |
| Data compilers | Not available for this indicator |
ITU |
| Institutional mandate | Not available for this indicator |
As the UN specialized agency for ICTs, ITU is the official source for global ICT statistics, collecting ICT data from its Member States. |
| Field | National | Global |
|---|---|---|
| Rationale | Not available for this indicator |
Mobile phone networks have spread rapidly over the last decade and the number of mobile-cellular subscriptions is quasi equal to the number of the people living on earth. However, not every person uses, or owns a mobile-cellular telephone. Mobile phone ownership, in particular, is important to track gender equality since the mobile phone is a personal device that, if owned and not just shared, provides women with a degree of independence and autonomy, including for professional purposes. A number of studies have highlighted the link between mobile phone ownership and empowerment, and productivity growth. Existing data on the proportion of women owning a mobile phone suggest that less women than men own a mobile phone. This indicator highlights the importance of mobile phone ownership to track and to improve gender equality, and monitoring will help design targeted policies to overcome the gender divide. The collection of this indicator was proposed by the Task Group on Gender of the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development. |
| Comments and limitations | Not available for this indicator |
While the data on the ‘proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone’ currently only exist for very few countries, ITU is encouraging all countries to collect data on this indicator through national household surveys and the indicator is expected to be added to the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development’s Core List of Indicators. The number of countries with official data for this indicator is expected to increase in the near future. |
| Method of computation | Not available for this indicator |
Countries can collect data on this indicator through national household surveys. This indicator is calculated by dividing the total number of in-scope individuals who own a mobile phone by the total number of in-scope individuals. |
| Adjustments | Not available for this indicator |
No adjustments are made to the data submitted by countries. |
| Treatment of missing values (i) at country level and (ii) at regional level | Not available for this indicator |
• At country level Missing values are not estimated. • At regional and global levels Missing values are not estimated. |
| Regional aggregations | Not available for this indicator |
ITU has not produced any global estimates but is working on a methodology to produce global estimates for this indicator. |
| Methods and guidance available to countries for the compilation of the data at the national level | Not available for this indicator |
ITU Manual for Measuring ICT Access and Use by Households and Individuals 2020: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/publications/manual.aspx |
| Quality management | Not available for this indicator |
Data are checked and validated by the ICT Data and Analytics (IDA) Division of the ITU. Countries are contacted to clarify and correct their submissions. |
| Quality assurance | Not available for this indicator |
The guidelines of the Manual for Measuring ICT Access and Use by Households and Individuals 2020 are followed. |
| Quality assessment | Not available for this indicator |
The guidelines of the Manual for Measuring ICT Access and Use by Households and Individuals 2020 are followed. |
| National | Global |
|---|---|
Not available for this indicator |
Data availability: Overall, the indicator is available for more than 80 countries at least from one survey. Time series: 2015 onwards Disaggregation: For countries that collect this indicator through a national household survey, and if data allow breakdown and disaggregation, the indicator can be broken down not only by sex but also by region (urban/rural), by age group, by educational level, by labour force status, and by occupation. |
| National | Global |
|---|---|
Not available for this indicator |
Sources of discrepancies: None. ITU uses the data provided by countries, including the in-scope population that is used to calculate the percentages. |
| National | Global |
|---|---|
Not available for this indicator |
URL: http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/default.aspx References: ITU Manual for Measuring ICT Access and Use by Households and Individuals 2020: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/publications/manual.aspx |