Africa may be regarded as a booming telecommunications market but it still lags behind the rest of the world.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which is a specialised agency of the United Nations that is responsible for issues that concern information and communication technologies (ICT), annually reveals facts and figures regarding the global uptake of ICT.

ITU officials have said the mobile revolution is moving closer to having almost as many mobile- cellular subscriptions as people on earth.

Africa is no different in this case, but as ITU statistics reveal, the continent lags behind the globe with respect to particularly the take up of broadband.

Below are four tables with fast facts and figures for mobile, internet, mobile broadband growth in specific areas around the globe.

The tables highlight how Africa has a long way to go.