10 countries with the highest mobile penetration

1. United Arab Emirates, 228%

This country ranks first in the world place in the degree of penetration of mobile communication. According to the Arab Advisors Group for the first quarter of 2009 on 100 inhabitants of the UAE had 228 SIM cards. In other words, the number of registered SIM cards amounted to 228% of the total population. It is noteworthy that even this amount was equal to 176.5% in 2007.

2. Montenegro, 185.5%

In December 2008, for every 100 residents of a small European country of Montenegro had 185.5 SIM cards. Montenegro This is the second largest share of the population using cell phones in the world. The growth rate of mobile penetration is quite high: it was only a little less than 80% since 2007.

3. Qatar, 170%

In 2007, the number of mobile subscribers in Qatar amounted to 150.4% of the total population, and it has reached 170% in the spring of 2009. Thus we can say that more than half of the Qatari ispolzunt more than one SIM cards for business and personal communication.

4. Estonia, 165.9%

The total number of registered in Estonia SIM card is considerably greater than the number of its inhabitants. In 2007 the difference was about 48.4%, and became almost equal to 65.9% by December 2008. This provides the country the fourth place in the ranking.

5. Hong Kong, 165.2%

China's Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong, only slightly behind the Estonian level of mobile penetration. In spring 2009, there had 165.5 SIM cards per 100 inhabitants. However, in 2007 this number was "only" 149.2 SIM cards per 100 inhabitants.

6. Luxembourg 158%

This country is on the sixth place ranking. In 2007, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg the number of SIM cards was 146.7% of the country's inhabitants. In 2008, this number has increased. Now, for every hundred Luxembourgers have to 158 SIM cards.

7. Greece, 155%

According to the Netsize Guide 2008 in Greece, the number of registered SIM cards amounted to 155% of the total number of Greeks, despite the fact that a year ago the number was equal to 110%. In other words, more than half the population of this country is using more than one SIM card.

8. Italy, 152.4%

Mobile penetration in Italy in recent years has changed little. And in 2007, and in late 2008 it was approximately equal to 152.4 - 152.5 SIM cards per hundred inhabitants.

9. Bahrain, 150%

One of the smallest Arab states of Bahrain, the first year among the ten countries with the highest proportion of mobile phone users. In 2009, the number of SIM cards in it and a half times the number of local residents. However, it can be said that it has not changed over the past years. So, in 2007, for every one hundred residents accounted for about 148.3 SIM cards, and in 2009 - 150 SIM cards.

10. Lithuania, 148%

This Baltic country closes the top ten. In 2007, the number of SIM cards in it was equal to 144.9% of the population. By the autumn of 2008 it increased slightly: at this time on every hundred Lithuanians had 148 SIM cards.