As of February 2025, China ranked first among the countries with the most internet users worldwide. The world's most populated country had 1.11 billion internet users, more than triple the third-ranked United States, with just around 322 million internet users. Overall, all BRIC markets had over two billion internet users, accounting for four of the ten countries with more than 100 million internet users. Worldwide internet usage As of October 2024, there were more than five billion internet users worldwide. There are, however, stark differences in user distribution according to region. Eastern Asia is home to 1.34 billion internet users, while African and Middle Eastern regions had lower user figures. Moreover, the urban areas showed a higher percentage of internet access than rural areas. Internet use in China China ranks first in the list of countries with the most internet users. Due to its ongoing and fast-paced economic development and a cultural inclination towards technology, more than a billion of the estimated 1.4 billion population in China are online. As of the third quarter of 2023, around 87 percent of Chinese internet users stated using WeChat, the most popular social network in the country. On average, Chinese internet users spent five hours and 33 minutes online daily.

As of February 2025, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates ed the ranking of countries with the highest internet penetration rate, all recording 99 percent. The worldwide internet penetration rate as of October 2024 was 67.5 percent. Most connected regions According to the most recent observations, Northern Europe ranked first among global regions by internet penetration rate. The share of the population accessing the internet in this region was over 97 percent. Northern America ranked second, followed by Western Europe. Overall, the internet reach was higher than 80 percent across all European regions, as well as Northern and Southern parts of America. Unconnected populations Despite having the biggest online audiences worldwide, India and China are also the markets with the highest number of individuals not connected to the web. Regarding the share of population without internet access in worldwide markets, North Korea ranks first, as the internet in the country remains blocked for most of the general public as of April 2024. Central African Republic had 89.4 percent of its population unconnected, followed by Burundi, with 88.7 percent.

As of the first month of 2024, more than nine out of 10 people living in the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Antigua & Barbuda, and Chile were online, putting the countries in the top position regarding internet access in Latin America. Meanwhile, more than 85 percent of the populations of Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Argentina, Brazil Guyana, and Jamaica were online. On the other hand, less than half of the population of Haiti had access to the internet. Overall, the internet penetration rate in Latin America stood at 74.63 percent. Growth in mobile connectivity… With investments in 4G infrastructure forecast to reach around 211.5 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, the improvement of mobile connectivity is radically changing the picture of access to the internet in Latin America and the Caribbean. One of the best examples is Peru, where the gap between urban and rural areas has greatly diminished in 2021, making its online audiences the fifth largest on the continent in 2023. …at an unequal rate Despite the improvements, Latin America and the Caribbean still face an enormous gap in internet access: the internet penetration rate in the subregion of South America was 80.6 percent in 2023, while only 68.4 percent of people in the Caribbean had access to the web. Despite its investments in mobile connectivity, most of the web traffic in Venezuela still originated from desktop devices in 2023, and only 70.9 Ecuadorians had access to mobile internet in 2023.

As of 2024, the share of individuals accessing the internet in the least developed countries (LDCs) of the world was 35 percent. In the examined year, the internet usage rate in landlocked developing countries (LLDC) was 39 percent. As per Small Island Developing States (SIDS), 65 percent of the population was reported to connect to the web.

As of 2024, the share of internet users in the CIS region (Commonwealth of Independent States) was the highest in the world, with 91 percent of the female population and 93 percent of the male population accessing the internet. As of the same year, there were 90 percent female and 92 percent male internet users in Europe, making it the second region worldwide by internet usage. Africa was the region where internet access was the lowest. Share of female and male internet users worldwide There are still disparities between the internet access rates of male and female online users in global regions. According to the latest data, 34 percent of Africa’s female population had online access, compared to 45 percent of men. Whereas in the Americas, the share of male and female internet users was the same, 83 percent. There was also a big difference in the share of female and male internet users in the Arab States. In the region, 65 percent of women had access to the internet, whereas the share of the male population using the internet was 75 percent. The gender gap was also seen in mobile internet usage in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Internet access and SDGs As of 2022, Africa’s online access rate was the lowest worldwide, with estimates showing that just over 30 percent of the total population was using the internet. By comparison, the global average online usage rate was 51 percent. This technological gap between Africa and the rest of the world highlights the need for continued investment in information and communication technologies on the continent, as such processes can speed up progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations. The Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the Global Goals, are a worldwide agenda to protect the planet, end poverty, and ensure global peace and prosperity. ICTs, especially mobile internet, contribute to the goals by enabling countries to participate in digital economies as well as empowering individuals to access crucial information and services. However, almost 40 percent of the world was not using the internet as of 2021. Particularly disenfranchised groups were frequently excluded from digital society, including women and girls, people with disabilities, elders, indigenous populations, people living in poverty, and inhabitants of least developed or developing countries. The digital gender gap was another obstacle for women to overcome on a global level to achieve economic advancement which would ultimately also benefit their communities.

As of January 2024, Morocco had an internet penetration of approximately 91 percent, making it the country with the highest internet penetration in Africa. Libya ranked second, with around 88 percent, followed by Seychelles with roughly 87 percent. On the other hand, South Sudan, Burundi, and The Central African Republic had the lowest prevalence of internet among their population.

Varying but growing levels of internet adoption

Although internet usage varies significantly across African countries, the overall number of internet users on the continent jumped to around 646 million from close to 181 million in 2014. Of those, almost a third lived in Nigeria and Egypt only, two of the three most populous countries on the continent. Furthermore, internet users are expected to surge, reaching over 1.1 billion users by 2029.

Mobile devices dominate web traffic

Most internet adoptions on the continent occurred recently. This is among the reasons mobile phones increasingly play a significant role in connecting African populations. As of early January 2024, around 74 percent of the web traffic in Africa was via mobile phones, over 14 percentage points higher than the world average. Furthermore, almost all African countries have a higher web usage on mobile devices compared to other devices, with rates as high as 92 percent in Sudan. This is partly due to mobile connections being cheaper and not requiring the infrastructure needed for traditional desktop PCs with fixed-line internet connections.

China is leading the ranking by number of households with internet access , recording 448.01 million households. Following closely behind is India with 158.94 million households, while Lesotho is trailing the ranking with 0.02 million households, resulting in a difference of 447.99 million households to the ranking leader, China. Depicted is the number of housholds with internet access in the country or region at hand.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

As of 2024, approximately 97.1 percent of the United States' population accessed the internet, up from approximately 71 percent in 2013. The United States is one of the biggest online markets worldwide. In 2024, over 331 million individuals in the country went online. Furthermore, social media apps were among the most popular category of mobile apps used in the market. Social media usage in the U.S. Social media usage in the United States has seen significant growth in recent years, amassing 300 million as of 2024. By the third quarter of 2023, internet users in the U.S. were spending around two hours on social media out of seven hours of internet usage. The most common activities among U.S. users include sending private messages and liking posts or following people, which highlights widespread engagement with social media platforms among internet users in the United States. TikTok surge in the U.S. TikTok continues to be one of the most popular social media platforms in the United States. As of July 2024, 120 million individuals or 45 percent of internet users in the country used the social network. This surge in popularity is the result of user’s high engagement with short-form videos and quick entertainment in which TikTok managed to capture users’ attention. Users in the United States spent an average of 45 hours and 37 minutes monthly in 2023.

As of February 2025, there were 5.56 billion internet users worldwide, which amounted to 67.9 percent of the global population. Of this total, 5.24 billion, or 63.9 percent of the world's population, were social media users. Global internet usage Connecting billions of people worldwide, the internet is a core pillar of the modern information society. Northern Europe ranked first among worldwide regions by the share of the population using the internet in 2024. In The Netherlands, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 99 percent of the population used the internet as of April 2024. North Korea was at the opposite end of the spectrum, with virtually no internet usage penetration among the general population, ranking last worldwide. Asia was home to the largest number of online users worldwide – over 2.93 billion at the latest count. Europe ranked second, with around 750 million internet users. China, India, and the United States rank ahead of other countries worldwide by the number of internet users. Worldwide internet user demographics As of 2023, the share of female internet users worldwide was 65 percent, five percent less than that of men. Gender disparity in internet usage was bigger in the Arab States and Africa, with around a ten percent difference. Worldwide regions, like the Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe, showed a smaller gender gap. As of 2023, global internet usage was higher among individuals between 15 and 24 years across all regions, with young people in Europe representing the most significant usage penetration, 98 percent. In comparison, the worldwide average for the age group 15–24 years was 79 percent. The income level of the countries was also an essential factor for internet access, as 93 percent of the population of the countries with high income reportedly used the internet, as opposed to only 27 percent of the low-income markets.

The percentage of households with internet access in Africa was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 14.5 percentage points. After the twenty-eighth consecutive increasing year, the internet penetration is estimated to reach 68.81 percent and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the percentage of households with internet access of was continuously increasing over the past years.Depicted is the share of housholds with internet access in the country or region at hand.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the percentage of households with internet access in countries like Caribbean and Asia.

The percentage of households with internet access in Central & Western Europe was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 3.2 percentage points. After the seventh consecutive increasing year, the internet penetration is estimated to reach 96.21 percent and therefore a new peak in 2029. Depicted is the share of housholds with internet access in the country or region at hand.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the percentage of households with internet access in countries like Northern Europe and Russia.

The percentage of households with internet access in Eastern Europe was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 6.9 percentage points. After the twenty-eighth consecutive increasing year, the internet penetration is estimated to reach 96.38 percent and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the percentage of households with internet access of was continuously increasing over the past years.Depicted is the share of housholds with internet access in the country or region at hand.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the percentage of households with internet access in countries like Southern Europe and Northern Europe.

As of January 2024, Nigeria had more than 103 million internet users - the highest number reported all over Africa. Meanwhile, Egypt ranked second with over 82 million users. The majority of web traffic in leading digital markets in Africa originated from mobile devices - in Nigeria, one of the countries with the largest number of internet users worldwide, 86.2 percent of web traffic was generated via smartphones and roughly 13.3 percent via PC devices. This is due in part to the fact that mobile connections are much cheaper and do not require the infrastructure that is needed for traditional desktop PCs with fixed-line internet connections.

Anticipating remarkable growth: Africa's internet user surge and projected milestones The projected trend for Africa indicates a consistent rise in internet users from 2024 to 2029. It will have a collective addition of 337.3 million users (equivalent to a growth of 51.79 percent). Following fifteen successive years of growth, the user count is anticipated to reach a record high of 1.1 billion by 2029. Furthermore, the online penetration rate on the continent was 43 percent – which was below the global average, measured at around 68 percent.

Unveiling internet trends The region has witnessed a steady increase in internet users over the years. In January 2024, Southern Africa stood out as the African region with the most substantial internet penetration rate, reaching approximately 73.1 percent. The proportion of individuals accessing the internet in this part of Africa and Northern Africa surpassed the global average (66.2 percent). Moreover, Morocco boasted an impressive internet penetration of about 91 percent, securing its position as Africa's foremost country. Libya held the second position with a penetration rate of approximately 88 percent, followed closely by Seychelles at around 86.7 percent.

As of 2024, the internet penetration rate in the countries with high income was the highest among all categories, 93 percent. The internet usage rate was coherent with the level of income in examined countries. The economies with low income showed the lowest usage rate, around a quarter of the total population.

The population share with mobile internet access in North America was forecast to increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 2.9 percentage points. This overall increase does not happen continuously, notably not in 2028 and 2029. The mobile internet penetration is estimated to amount to 84.21 percent in 2029. Notably, the population share with mobile internet access of was continuously increasing over the past years.The penetration rate refers to the share of the total population having access to the internet via a mobile broadband connection.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the population share with mobile internet access in countries like Caribbean and Europe.

As of 2024, about 78.6 percent of the Chinese population had used the internet. The penetration rate denotes the share of the population that has access to a certain communication medium. Internet coverage in China For comparison, the global average internet penetration rate had resided at about 67.9 percent as of February 2025. The internet penetration in China had also been above the average rate in the Asia-Pacific countries. However, neighbor countries such as Japan and South Korea have displayed substantially higher internet penetration rates than China. It is worth noting that the internet usage in the country has faced a large regional disparity. Some of the remote western regions had shown penetration rates of below 45 percent. Chinese online population Over the past decade, the number of Chinese internet users has grown at a remarkable pace. By December 2024, the total amount of internet users in the world's second most populous country had amounted to approximately 1,108 million, up from 772 million at the end of 2017. Apart from extended access to broadband internet connections, mobile internet took up a large share in internet user growth. The share of users accessing the internet via mobile device had significantly exceeded that of those via desktop in the country. About 99.9 percent of Chinese internet users accessed the web via mobile phone.

As of 2022, the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) ranked Norway and Denmark as the European Union member states with the highest share of the population using the internet. Both countries had an online usage penetration rate of more than 96 percent. In the same year, Bulgaria was the EU state with the lowest internet penetration rate, with only 79 percent of people using the internet. Overall, the average internet penetration in the European Union stood at around 89 percent.

The population share with mobile internet access in Africa was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 21.7 percentage points. After the eighteenth consecutive increasing year, the mobile internet penetration is estimated to reach 46.22 percent and therefore a new peak in 2029. The penetration rate refers to the share of the total population having access to the internet via a mobile broadband connection.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the population share with mobile internet access in countries like Caribbean and Europe.

As of January 2024, around 331.1 million people in the United States accessed the internet, making it one of the largest online markets worldwide. The country currently ranks third after China and India by the online audience size. Overview of internet usage in the United States The digital population in the United States has constantly increased in recent years. Among the most common reasons is the growing accessibility of broadband internet. A big part of the country's digital audience accesses the web via mobile phones. In 2024, the country saw an estimated 97.1 percent mobile internet user penetration. According to a 2024 survey, over 51 percent of U.S. women and 43 percent of men said it is important to them to have mobile internet access anywhere, at any time. Another 41 percent of respondents could not imagine their everyday life without the internet. Google and YouTube are the most visited websites in the country, while music, food, and drinks were the most discussed online topics. Internet usage demographics in the United States While some users can no longer imagine their life without the internet, others do not use it at all. According to 2021 data, 25 percent of U.S. adults 65 and older reported not using the internet. Despite this, online usage was strong across other age groups, especially young adults aged 18 to 49. This age group also reported the highest percentage of smartphone usage in the country as of 2023. Due to a persistent lack of connectivity in rural areas, more online users were based in urban areas of the U.S. than in the countryside.

The internet penetration rate in India rose over 52 percent in 2024, from about 14 percent in 2014. Although these figures seem relatively low, it meant that more than half of the population of 1.4 billion people had internet access that year. This also ranked the country second in the world in terms of active internet users. Internet availability and accessibility By 2021 the number of internet connections across the country tripled with urban areas accounting for a higher density of connections than rural regions. Despite incredibly low internet prices, internet usage in India has yet to reach its full potential. Lack of awareness and a tangible gender gap lie at the heart of the matter, with affordable mobile handsets and mobile internet connections presenting only a partial solution. Reliance Jio was the popular choice among Indian internet subscribers, offering them wider coverage at cheap rates. Digital living Home to one of the largest bases of netizens in the world, India is abuzz with internet activities being carried out every moment of every day. From information and research to shopping and entertainment to living in smart homes, Indians have welcomed digital living with open arms. Among these, social media usage was one of the most common reasons for accessing the internet.