How do different countries structure their phone numbers?

liza89 · Post by **liza89** » Mon May 19, 2025 3:22 am

The structure of phone numbers varies significantly across different countries, reflecting their unique numbering plans, population density, and the evolution of their telecommunications infrastructure. While the fundamental components of a country code, area code (where applicable), and a local number remain, their length, format, and usage can differ considerably. Here's an overview of how some countries structure their phone numbers:

North America (NANP - USA, Canada, and some Caribbean nations):

Country Code: +1
Format: Typically 1 + Area Code (3 digits) + Loca l Number (7 digits), often written as +1-AAA-NNN-NNNN.
All calls within the NANP require 10-digit australia mobile phone number list dialing (area code + local number), even for local calls, due to the increasing number of area codes.
United Kingdom:

Country Code: +44
Format: +44 + Area Code (variable length, often starting with 0, which is dropped when dialing internationally) + Local Number (variable length). Examples: +44 20 XXXX XXXX (London), +44 161 XXX XXXX (Manchester).
Mobile numbers often start with '07' within the UK.
Australia:

Country Code: +61
Format: +61 + Area Code (1-2 digits, starting with 0, dropped internationally) + Local Number (8 digits). Mobile numbers start with '04'. Example: +61 2 XXXX XXXX (Sydney), +61 4XX XXX XXXX (mobile).
China:

Country Code: +86
Format: +86 + Area Code (2-4 digits, starting with 0, dropped internationally) + Local Number (7-8 digits). Mobile numbers start with '1'. Example: +86 10 XXXXXXXX (Beijing), +86 139XXXXXXXX (mobile).
India:

Country Code: +91
Format: +91 + Area Code (2-4 digits, starting with 0, sometimes dropped for domestic mobile-to-mobile calls) + Local Number (variable length to make a total of 10 digits after the country code). Mobile numbers often start with '9', '8', or '7'.
Bangladesh:

Country Code: +880
Format: +880 + Area Code (2 digits for landlines, starting with 0, dropped internationally) + Local Number (6-8 digits). Mobile numbers start with '1' followed by a network operator code (e.g., 17 for Grameenphone) and then 8 digits. Example: +880 2 XXXXXXXX (Dhaka landline), +880 17 XXXXXXXX (mobile).
Key Differences and Trends:

Number Length: The total number of digits in a phone number (excluding the country code) varies significantly, from around 5-6 digits in smaller regions to 10 or more in larger countries.
Area Code Usage: Some countries require dialing the area code for all calls, while others only require it for calls outside the local area.
Mobile Number Differentiation: Many countries have distinct prefixes or number ranges to identify mobile phone numbers.
Trunk Prefixes: Some countries use a trunk prefix (like '0' in many European and Asian countries) for domestic long-distance calls, which is typically omitted when dialing internationally.
Standardization: The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) recommends a maximum length of 15 digits for an international phone number to ensure proper routing.
Understanding these structural differences is crucial for correctly dialing international phone numbers and for businesses operating globally. The trend in many regions is towards longer numbers and mandatory area code dialing to accommodate the increasing demand for phone lines and mobile numbers.