The Saudi market is one of the leading Middle East countries in the adoption of new internet and mobile technologies. Ethos made a quick study on the sources that show the right number of internet users in Saudi Arabia.
First let us start with the Saudi Arabian Population:
Saudi Arabia Population:
Ethnic groups:
Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Languages:
Arabic (official)
Religions:
Muslim 100%
Population:
26,131,703 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 3,939,377/female 3,754,020)
15-64 years: 67.6% (male 9,980,253/female 7,685,328)
65 years and over: 3% (male 404,269/female 368,456) (2011 est.)
Median age:
total: 25.3 years
male: 26.4 years
female: 23.9 years (2011 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.536% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
The total number of mobile subscriptions grew to around 56.1 million by end of 9M 2011, with penetration stood at 198%. Prepaid subscriptions constitute the majority (over 87%) of all mobile subscriptions, in line with the trend in other similar markets around the world.
Mobile Penetration in Saudi Arabia:
Mobile Penetration in Saudi Arabia
Internet Penetration in Saudi Arabia
The number of Internet users grew from around 1 million in 2001 to an estimated 13 million at the end of 9M 2011. Internet penetration increased to 46% of the population by the end of 9M 2011.
Internet Penetration in Saudi Arabia
Mobile Internet Penetration in Saudi Arabia
The total subscriptions to mobile broadband reached 11.5 million at the end of 9M 2011, representing a penetration of 40.5% of the population. The mobile broadband market continues to gain momentum in the Kingdom and is becoming an increasingly exciting market. One of the key reasons for this growth is the fact that due to competition and the huge expansion of the smart phones which enable customers for varieties of data packages. Becoming easier to access via mobile devices such as smart phones, mobile networks are also improving as 3.5G (HSPA) continues to be deployed and wireless broadband technologies (4G) emerge over the next few years.
It should be noted that in calculating the number of subscriptions, CITC has adopted the new recommendation put forward by the ITU in early 2011.
The new ITU methodology as well as the new CITC ICT indicators provide for including in the calculation subscriptions to voice SIMs with use of data communications at broadband speeds, as well as subscriptions to dedicated data SIMs. As a result, the broadband subscriptions and penetration totals for the third quarter of 2011 are substantially higher relative to those reported in previous months.
Mobile Internet Penetration in Saudi Arabia
iPhone Users in Saudi Arabia
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