| barleduc: the numbers are probably based on the number of SIM cards in service, which doesn't necessarily translate to the number of phones. First, in some countries, it's not uncommon to have more than one SIM, and swap them in and out of the phone to use whichever provider is cheaper for the occasion. Second, some places have a substantial migrant worker population, most of whom have phones but are not counted as citizens, so they skew the numbers as well. This is why, in a similar quiz, the figures for the UAE seem completely absurd: most of the people living there and using phones aren't citizens of the country.
kzav: in many parts of the developing world, mobile phones are the only phones available at all, or are substantially cheaper than landlines. Basic handsets have become very inexpensive over the past decade. They're not a luxury but an essential communications tool. |