In examples, a numeric digit is used only if the digit is the same in every number, and letters to illustrate groups. X is used as a wildcard character to represent any digit in lists of numbers.
Africa
Djibouti
All telephone numbers in Djibouti have eight digits.
Fixed line numbers start with 21 or 27, then a fixed line locality code, followed by four digits.
Mobile numbers start with 77, then a mobile line locality code, followed by four digits.
With the country code of Djibouti (253), the international format is "+253 XX YY ZZZZ".
Morocco
All telephone numbers in Morocco have ten digits (initial 0 plus nine numbers).
Landline numbers start with 05, followed by two digits for the regional area RR, then two digits for the local area LL, then 4 digits for the subscriber number XX XX: ("05 RR LL XX XX" or "05RR LL XX XX").
Mobile numbers start with 06 or 07, followed by the subscriber number ("06 XX XX XX XX" or "07 XX XX XX XX").
The country code for Morocco is 212, so the format becomes "+212 Y XX XX XX XX" or "+212 YXX XX XX XX", also "+212 YXX-XXXXXX" as well, where Y is 5 for landlines or 6/7 for mobile. Free calling numbers (green numbers) or call center numbers start with 080 or 090.
Kenya
Telephone numbers in Kenya use a 9-digit format. The nine digits used for local calls start with a "0" (trunk prefix) for domestic calls, followed by the 3-digit area/provider code and the final six digits (07XX XXX XXX). The international code for Kenya is "+254".
South Africa
South Africa uses 10-digit dialling, which has been required since 16 January 2007. The ten digits used for local calls (AAA XXX XXXX or 0AA XXX XXXX) consist of a 3-digit area/type code (the first digit in the area/type code is a trunk prefix) followed by seven digits. All area codes, including mobile numbers, start with a "0" (trunk prefix) for domestic calls. When dialing from another country, the country code for South Africa is "27", with the rest of the digits excluding the "0" trunk prefix (+27 AA XXX XXXX).
Asia
China
Telephone numbers in China have 10 or 11 digits (excluding an initial zero which is required at times) and fall in at least four distinct categories:
Landlines: In China, the length of phone numbers varies from city to city. It is usually written as (0XXX) YYY YYYY (For landlines registered in large metropolises, it is written in the format (0XXX) YYYY YYYY), where 0 is the trunk code, XXX is the area code (2 or 3 digits) and YYYY YYYY is the local number (7 or 8 digits). For example, (0755) XXXX YYYY indicates a Shenzhen number. XXXXYYYY is dialed locally, 0755 XXXX YYYY is dialed in other areas inside the country, while, for international calls to Shenzhen, the 0 is dropped and is written +86 755 XXXX YYYY.
Mobiles: The 11-digit code is always written in special data full in the whole China e.g. 1WX YYYY ZZZZ. Each WX is assigned to a service provider while W is usually '3' through '9'. The remaining eight digits are the subscriber number.
Toll Free: These are usually ten digit numbers beginning with 800 or 400. 800 (toll-free) are accessible only when called from landline phones, while 400 (shared toll) are accessible from all phones. 400 XXX XXXX or 800 XXXX XXXX.
Service numbers: These are usually 3- to 5-digit numbers (e.g. Police is 110) used to access an emergency service (Fire 119, Ambulance 120, Police 110, Roadside assistance 12122) or a value-added service.
Hong Kong and Macau
Every number, except special service numbers, is an 8-digit number; they are grouped as XXXX YYYY. There are no area codes.
India
Telephone numbers in India have ten digits (excluding an initial zero which is required at times) and fall into at least four distinct categories:
Landlines: Written as AAA-BBBBBBB, where AAA is the Subscriber Trunk Dialing code (long-distance code) and BBBBBBB is the phone number. The total length of the Subscriber Trunk Dialing code and the phone number is ten digits. The Subscriber Trunk Dialing code can have from two digits (11 or 011) up to four digits.
Mobiles: Written as AAAAA-BBBBB for ease of remembering (though the prefix is either 2-digits or 4-digits in the numbering plan). Mobile numbers which are not local need to be prefixed by a 0 while dialing, or by +91 (91 is the country code for India). A mobile number written as +91-AAAAA BBBBB is valid throughout India, and in other countries where the + is recognized as a prefix to the country code. Since 2015, calls from mobile phones to any other mobiles do not need to prefix with a 0. However, calls from landlines to non-local mobile numbers need to be prefixed with 0.
Toll Free: These are usually ten digit numbers beginning with 1-800. Sometimes they are accessible (or are toll-free) only when called from the government-owned telephone corporation, BSNL/MTNL.
Service numbers: These are usually three or four digit numbers (e.g. Police is 100) used to access an emergency service (Fire, Ambulance, Police, Roadside assistance) or a value-added service.
Iran
All telephone numbers in Iran have 11 digits (initial 0 and ten digits). The first two or three digits after the zero are the area code. The possibilities are: (0xx) xxxx xxxx (for landlines), 09xx xxx xxxx (for cellphones) and 099xx xxx xxx (for MVNO).
When making a call within the same landline area code, initial 0 plus the area code must be omitted.
An example for calling telephones in the city of Tehran is as follows:
xxxx xxxx (within Tehran, via a landline)
021 xxxx xxxx (Outside Tehran, or via a cellphone)
+98 21 xxxx xxxx (outside Iran)
An example for mobile numbers is as follows:
09xx xxx xxxx (in Iran)
+98 9xx xxx xxxx (outside Iran)
Japan
The traditional convention for phone numbers is (0AA) NXX-XXXX, where 0AA is the area code and NXX-XXXX is the subscriber number. This number format is very similar to the North American numbering plan, but the country has a trunk code of 0 instead of 1, so international National conventions for writing telephone numbers callers (using +81) do not have to dial the trunk code 0 when calling to Japan. Telephone numbers had nine digits in Tokyo and Osaka until the late 1990s, when a seventh digit was added to the subscriber number. Densely populated areas have shorter area codes, while rural areas have longer area codes, but the last two digits of a five-digit area code (including the first zero) may also be the first two digits of the subscriber number. Area codes increase from north to south, except in areas such as the western Hokuriku region and the prefecture of Okinawa, where area codes increase from west to east or south to north.
Some telephone numbers deviate from this rule:
Toll-free dialing and Navi Dial operations (0120-XX-XXXX, 0570-XX-XXXX, or 0800-XX-XXXX), where XX-XXXX is the subscriber number
The area code 050 uses an 11 digit phone number (050-XXXX-XXXX), where XXXX-XXXX is the subscriber number
110 and 119 are examples of three digit emergency numbers
Malaysia
All area codes including mobile start with a "0" (trunk prefix) for domestic calls. If you are dialing from another country the international calling code for Malaysia is "60" which may be confusing; do not dial an extra "0" before the rest of the digits. For fixed line and mobile phone numbers, a dash is written in between the area/mobile code and the subscriber number, with an optional space before the last four digits of the subscriber number. For example, a fixed line number in Kuala Lumpur is written as 03-XXXX YYYY or 03-XXXXYYYY, while a fixed line number in Kota Kinabalu is written as 088-XX YYYY or 088-XXYYYY. A typical mobile phone number is written as 01M-XXX YYYY or 01M-XXXYYYY. Toll-free and local charge numbers are written as 1-800-XX-YYYY and 1-300-XX-YYYY respectively, while premium rate numbers are written as 600-XX-YYYY.
Pakistan
Telephone numbers in Pakistan have two parts. Area codes in Pakistan have from two to five digits; the smaller the city, the longer the prefix. All the large cities have two-digit codes.
Smaller towns have a six digit number. Large cities have seven-digit numbers. Azad Jammu and Kashmir has five digit numbers. On 1 July 2009, telephone numbers in Karachi and Lahore were changed from seven digits to eight digits. This was accomplished by adding the digit "9" to the beginning of any phone number that started with a "9" (government and semi-government connections), and adding the digit "3" to any phone numbers that did not start with the number "9".[1]
It is common to write phone numbers as (0xx) yyyyyyy, where xx is the area code. The 0 prefix is for trunk (long-distance) dialing from within the country. International callers should dial +92 xx yyyyyyyy.
All mobile phone codes have four digits, and start with 03xx. All mobile numbers have seven digits, and denote the mobile provider on a nationwide basis and not geographic location. Thus all Telenor numbers (for example) nationwide carry mobile code 0345 etc.
Universal access number
111 xxx xxx
Emergency Service Numbers
1xx
1xxx
Premium Rate services:
0900 xxxxx
Toll free numbers (For callers within Pakistan):
0800 xxxxx
Philippines
Further information: Telephone numbers in the Philippines
Landline numbers are eleven digits long[2] and written as +63 (XX) YYY ZZZZ for international callers. For domestic calls, the country code (+63) is omitted and a trunk prefix (0) is placed. For local calls, both the trunk prefix (0) and the area code are omitted. Mobile numbers are twelve digits long[3] and written as +63 (XXX) YYY ZZZZ or 0 (XXX) YYY ZZZZ.
Singapore
In Singapore, every phone number is written as +65-XXXX-YYYY or +65 XXXX YYYY.
Mobile phones starts with 8/9, landline phone numbers starts with 6 while VOIP numbers starts with 3.
Subscriber numbers have eight digits and there are no area codes.
Sri Lanka
Except for short codes and emergency numbers, all telephone numbers in Sri Lanka have ten digits (initial 0 + nine numbers).
Landline phone numbers begin with the area code, then one digit for the operator code, then six digits for the primary telephone number.
Format: (XXX Y ZZZZZZ) where:
"xxx" denotes the area code. All area codes begin with the number 0.
The operator code for fixed (landline) numbers is "y".
"zzzzzz" denotes the primary telephone number, which has six digits.
Mobile numbers start with the mobile operator code (which begins from 07X, followed by seven digits for the main telephone number).
Format: (XXX ZZZZZZZ) where:
When dialing a mobile number, "xxx" represents the mobile operator code. All mobile operator codes begin with the number 07.
"zzzzzzz" represents the main telephone number of seven digits.
The country code for Sri Lanka is 94, so the format becomes "+94 XX Y ZZZZZZ" for landlines and the format becomes "+94 XX ZZZZZZZ" for mobile numbers.[4]
South Korea
South Korean phone numbers can be as short as seven digits and as long as 11 digits, because, when making a local call (i.e. in the same city), there is no need to dial the area code. South Korean area codes are assigned based on city.
Landline phone numbers
Landline home numbers are usually written as: 0XX-XXX-XXXX or (0XX) XXX-XXXX where 0XX indicates an area code. (0XX) XXX-XXX and 0XX XXX XXXX (without hyphens) are comprehensible as well. The area code may have two digits for some cities such as Seoul and Gwacheon (these two cities use the same area code) and three digits for other cities such as Incheon, Busan and most of the cities in Gyeonggi-do. The middle three-digit part is extended to four digits in many areas due to the increased number of telephone users.
In the international context, 82 0XX-XXX-XXXX is commonly used as well. For international calls, "0" in the area code is often omitted, because it is not necessary to dial 0 from foreign countries. Therefore, it is better written as: 82-(0)XX-XXX-XXXX or 82-(0)XX-XXXX-XXXX The plus (+) sign is often added to the country code (e.g., +82 0XX-XXX-XXXX or +82-0XX-XXXX-XXXX).
Mobile phone numbers
For mobile numbers, 016490641 so on. As with the landline home numbers, the mobile numbers' middle three-digit part is extended to four digits (e.g., 016490641) due to the increased number of mobile phone users.
Business numbers
If a number starts with 070, the number does not belong to any particular area, and is a number given by an Internet telephone service. In this case, 070 is not usually put in the brackets, neither ( ) nor ).
In the business context, the numbers in the format of 15XX-XXXX and 16XX-XXXX are business representative agency or customer services. While the numbers starting with 080 (e.g., 080-XXX-XXXX) are also business-related numbers but are usually toll-free customer service centers. Also in this case, 15XX, 16XX or 070 are not put in the brackets, neither ( ) nor ).
National service numbers
There are national telephone services which have phone numbers in the format of 1XX or 1XXX, without any area code. For example, 114 is for telephone yellow page, 119 is for fire/emergency number, 112 is for police station center, 131 is for weather forecast information, 1333 is for traffic information, and so on. The number 111 is for reporting spies, especially from North Korea. It used to be 113, so most of senior citizen still believe it is the number for reporting spies. These numbers do not need any brackets.
Alternative numbers
If there are multiple numbers used for one person/entity, the symbol "~" is usually used to avoid repetitions. For example, if one company has three phone numbers—031-111-1111, 031-111-1112 and 031-111-1113—then they are shortened as in 031-111-1111~3.
If the numbers are not consecutive, then the last digit is written together with commas. For example, if a company has three numbers—031-111-1111, 031-111-1115, 031-111-1119, then they are shortened as in 031-111-1111, 5, 9.
Taiwan
Landline numbers in Taiwan are written with the area code in parentheses [with phone numbers total nine digits] Example: (02) XXXX YYYY for phone numbers in Taipei area.
Mobile phones have 3 digit "company code" assigned to different mobile service carriers such as (09**) XXXXXX followed by a 6 digit phone number. (note: Mobile carriers could have multiple company codes)
Thailand
All numbers in Thailand, whether for landlines or mobile reception, consist of eight digits, xxxx xxxx in the government's official format. When calling domestically, landline numbers are preceded by a zero (0 xxxx xxxx, example 0 5381 0595) while mobile numbers are preceded by 0 plus one digit (0x xxxx xxxx, example 06 9756 4509). Thais often confuse the current numbering system with the old provincial area code system, which no longer exists as area codes were integrated into all phone numbers in 2005. Because of this, unofficially people often write numbers as 0xx xxx xxx (053 810 595). Calling a Thai phone number from outside Thailand, one drops the 0 and adds the 66 country code. Example +66 5381 0595.[5]
Oceania
Australia
Most Australian telephone numbers have ten digits, and are generally written 0A BBBB BBBB or 04XX XXX XXX for mobile telephone numbers, where 0A is the optional "area code" (2,3,7,8) and BBBB BBBB is the subscriber number. (http://www.acma.gov.au/Industry/Telco/Numbering/Numbering-Plan/phone-number-meanings-numbering-i-acma)
When the number is to be seen by an international audience, it is written +61 A BBBB BBBB or +61 4XX XXX XXX. When written for a local audience, the optional area code is omitted. The area code is often written within parentheses (0A) BBBB BBBB. Mobile numbers should never have parentheses.
Ten-digit non-geographic numbers beginning with 1 are written 1X0Y BBB BBB, where X = 8 for toll free numbers, X = 3 for fixed-fee numbers and X = 9 for premium services. Six-digit non-geographic numbers are written 13 BB BB or 13B BBB; these are fixed-fee numbers. Seven-digit 180 BBBB numbers also exist. 'B's are sometimes written as letters.
New Zealand
Almost all New Zealand telephone numbers have seven digits, with a single-digit access code and a single-digit area code for long-distance domestic calls. Traditionally, the number was given as (0A) BBB-BBBB, with the two first digits (the STD code) often omitted for local calls. The brackets and the dash are also often omitted. Mobile numbers follow the same format, but with the area code being two digits, i.e. (02M) BBB-BBBB. ( Some mobile numbers are longer: (021)02BBBBBB, (021)08BBBBBB, (020)40BBBBBB, (020) 41BBBBBB and (028) 25BBBBBB; and some are shorter: (021)3BBBBB, (021)4BBBBB, (021)5BBBBB, (021)6BBBBB, (021)7BBBBB, (021)8BBBBB and (021)9BBBBB)
There are also free-phone numbers (starting with 0800 or 0508) that are given in the format 0800-AAA-AAA. It is not uncommon for the 0800 and 0508 to be enclosed in brackets, although this is not strictly correct as the brackets denote optional parts of the number, and the 0800 and 0508 is required.[6]
Recently with 8 digit mobile numbers becoming more common the prefix-4 digits-4 digits format has been adopted for readability: 022 1234 5678.
For international use, the prefix 64 is substituted for the leading zero, giving +64-A-BBB-BBBB for land-lines, and +64-MM-BBB-BBBB for mobile numbers.