Since 2009, Whatsapp has been dominating among the most popular messenger apps in the world. Currently, WhatsApp has over 2 billion active users worldwide and is still counting. However, some countries are still groping in the dark due to the unlawful censorship of WhatsApp.
Some Vital Stats About WhatsApp
- WhatsApp has 2 billion active global users.
- WhatsApp is the most popular mobile messenger app in the world.
- WhatsApp transfers more than 100 billion messages each day.
- On average, WhatsApp users on Android spend 38 minutes per day on the app.
- India is ranked as the country with the most WhatsApp monthly active users (390.1 million).
During the period between 2016 and 2020, Whatsapp added one billion users.
This deserves a large round of applause.
Today, Facebook has lost its former glory due to the ongoing popularity of WhatsApp.
Key Points to Remember
- WhatsApp is not working in these 5 countries like China, North Korea, Syria as they impose censorship on WhatsApp.
- Earlier, Cuba also banned WhatsApp, but now it is legal to use WhatsApp there.
- Most of those countries blocked WhatsApp due to security, political, or other internal reasons.
- In some countries, WhatsApp calling is strictly prohibited. For instance, in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar we can’t call anybody via WhatsApp as the app fails to meet the regulatory requirements.
- Whatsapp blocking can only be overcome by a reputable VPN service. A VPN helps to do so by spoofing your location in other countries.
- People use WhatsApp for both individual and business purposes. However, some countries can’t access some features of WhatsApp due to restrictions.
You will finally get the idea of how to bypass WhatsApp calling censorship.
How many countries use WhatsApp without any restrictions?
WhatsApp can be used unlimitedly in about 180 countries with 2 billion users.
How many countries have banned WhatsApp?
Here is the WhatsApp banned countries list in 2022
- China
- North Korea
- Syria
- Qatar
- The UAE (Voice and Video Calls)
It should also be pointed out that among these countries, the UAE only bans WhatsApp voice and video calls, but it is possible to send and receive text messages.
Also, some countries have blocked WhatsApp temporarily. Myanmar also witnessed internet censorship during military protests.
There are other countries that have extended online censorship to block WhatsApp and other social media sites during protests. They are:
- Brazil
- Cuba
- Iran
- Venezuela
Let’s have a glance at some countries that have prohibited the use of WhatsApp and the reason for the ban.
Is WhatsApp allowed in China?
No, WhatsApp is forbidden in China. We can not use WhatsApp without a VPN there.
So, it is better to install a VPN before visiting China.
Also, remember to get government approval before VPN activation. It is a strict procedure.
Why did China block WhatsApp?
Since 1998, China has set up the powerful Great Firewall of China to monitor any threatening app that the Chinese government deems non-compliant.
The Chinese government announced that it would block WhatsApp sometime in 2017.
It was such shocking news to its citizens.
As WhatsApp has strong encryption features, China fears that it will limit the country’s power to control the content its citizens are exposed to, particularly during political periods.
Also, they don’t like any outsiders growing up in their country.
Some rumors are also circulating that the Chinese government censors WhatsApp in the country to promote the use of WeChat, the native instant messaging app.
Is WhatsApp working in Saudi Arabia?
No, the calling feature of WhatsApp is not working in Saudi Arabia. We can not make a call using WhatsApp there. You can easily unblock Whatsapp in KSA using a VPN app.
Read more on Is WhatsApp Banned in Saudi Arabia
Can we use WhatsApp in the UAE?
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), WhatsApp video or voice call is not allowed.
This is because the UAE imposed a ban on WhatsApp and some other social media apps to promote the use of local telecommunication services based in the country.
This will increase the country’s revenue.
So, you have to activate a good and reliable VPN on your device to use WhatsApp in the UAE.
Also, there is a list of Websites has been banned by the Government of UAE due to various internal reasons.
Is WhatsApp working in Qatar?
Yes the Whatsapp Messaging option is working in Qatar, but the calling feature of WhatsApp is not working in Qatar. We have to use an efficient VPN app to Unblock WhatsApp calling in Qatar.
Why can’t we make WhatsApp calls in the UAE?
Four major reasons:
- Greed: The UAE owns two state-owned telecommunication companies, and approximately 80% of the population is immigrants.
Permitting Whatsapp calls will simply lead to revenue loss.
- Privacy: The UAE wants access to VOIP calls, which is against the policies of WhatsApp, Skype, and Apple. Privacy is a big concern for these giant companies.
- Economic motivation: Being a monarchy, the UAE wants to practice autocracy.
They want to rule as they like!
For UAE citizens, this is not a problem. They don’t bother about this and are usually secure.
But the ex-pats have to pay a bulk amount, and the problem actually hits them. They should think about all this.
Anyway, this ban gives the UAE a strong power as it can force Microsoft and Apple to invest in the UAE in the form of data centers, retail presence, etc., resulting in jobs and an economic boost.
- Old-school: Although the UAE is very much advanced in terms of digitization, the Telcos Board in the UAE is still an ‘old school.
They are not updated and are not moving ahead with time, where DATA is the new oil.
They increase data costs as they wish, and VoIP calls need data to work.
How sad!
By making data a little more expensive, they can easily earn the same amount of revenue as they do now.
Should WhatsApp be banned?
There is no visible reason to ban this wonderful platform. WhatsApp can be used for both business and personal purposes.
Whatsapp marketing is a trending job nowadays.
Marketing through WhatsApp enables everyone to earn and reach the direct target consumer.
For personal use, WhatsApp outshines Facebook!
It also helps us to tighten our family bonds and friendships.
Hope the person reading this is a member of any WhatsApp group.
Are countries starting to block WhatsApp forever?
Hope this won’t happen!
However, some illiberal governments will find WhatsApp’s encryption feature as an excuse to ban this app, if they can.
Instead of complete WhatsApp blocking, some features like video or voice calls will be unavailable.
Qatar has blocked WhatsApp calling recently.
The majority of governments cannot approve the idea of citizens exchanging information that appears illegible to the authorities.
The government authorities will consider this a threat to their country.
That’s the main reason behind banning WhatsApp and other social media platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Countries Where WhatsApp blocked
What is the most effective method for unblocking WhatsApp calls?
A VPN is the best possible way to unblock WhatsApp calling. “VPN stands for “Virtual Private Network.” This is the safest method to unblock WhatsApp audio and video calls.
How does a VPN work for unblocking WhatsApp calls?
A VPN hides your original IP address and masks your browsing history from the eyes of your ISP, which is the real spy. In this way, you can make anonymous calls via WhatsApp without the fear of tracking any government authorities. In short, a VPN lets you unblock WhatsApp calling by hiding both your location and IP address.
Why was WhatsApp calling in Qatar blocked?
Qatar’s government blocked VoIP services for security reasons. Unfortunately, WhatsApp is also included in this list. The UAE government As Whatsapp is against the policies, the UAE wants access to VOIP calls, which is against the policies of Whatsapp. That is why WhatsApp calling is unblocked in Qatar.
How many countries don’t use WhatsApp?
China, North Korea, Syria, Qatar, and the UAE are the countries that banned WhatsApp calling. It should also be noted that among these countries, the UAE only bans WhatsApp voice and video calls, but it is possible to send and receive text messages. You can unblock WhatsApp easily with the activation of a VPN in such countries.
What is the alternative to WhatsApp Calling in Qatar?
Instead of WhatsApp, Qatar depends on BOTIM and IMO for making calls.
Is WhatsApp allowed in China?
No, people in China can not use WhatsApp. China has set up a Great Firewall to monitor any threatening apps that work against the country’s security policies. Whatsapp will work only after installing a VPN service.
Will WhatsApp work in Japan?
In Japan, WhatsApp can be used only to talk to non-Japanese users or foreign tourists. The Japanese most commonly use the instant messaging service LINE.
Is WhatsApp banned in India?
In India, WhatsApp faced a temporary restriction as it banned nearly 18 lakh accounts in March and 14.26 lakh in February. In January, 18.58 lakh Indian accounts were banned in total. Otherwise, Whatsapp is functioning well in India.
Which country has more WhatsApp users?
India is the country with the most WhatsApp monthly active users (390.1 million). Brazil ranked second with 108.4 million users.
