COMCEC Transport and Communications
Outlook 2017
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Table 19: Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) in top 5 OIC countries
Country Mobile-cellular telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Kuwait 231.76
Maldives 206.66
UAE 187.35
Kazakhstan 187.17
Bahrain 185.26
Developed Countries 125.70
OIC Average 108.77
World Average 98.60
Developing Countries 93.00
Source: International Telecommunication Union, 2015
OIC countries are generally in a less favorable position in terms of internet penetration
compared to fixed and mobile telephony. Average of fixed broadband penetrations among the
OIC countries is just 4.28 percent and this is much lower than world average, which is 11.2
percent. Lebanon, Azerbaijan and Bahrain are the leading OIC countries in terms of fixed
broadband subscriptions per 100 people.
Table 20: Fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 people) in top 5 OIC countries
Country Fixed-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
Developed Countries 29.40
Lebanon 22.76
Azerbaijan 19.76
Bahrain 18.61
Kazakhstan 13.05
UAE 12.81
World Average 11.20
Developing Countries 7.40
OIC Average 4.28
Source: International Telecommunication Union, 2015
Bahrain, Qatar and UAE are the best performing OIC countries in terms of internet usage rates
with values above 90 percent. However, average of internet usage rates among OIC countries is
still lower than world average as well as developing countries average.
Table 21: Internet users (per 100 people) in top 5 OIC countries
Country Percentage of Individuals using the Internet
Bahrain 93.48
Qatar 92.88
UAE 91.24
Kuwait 82.08
Developed Countries 78.10
Azerbaijan 77.00
World Average 43.80
Developing Countries 36.70
OIC Average 35.29
Source: International Telecommunication Union, 2015