As of 2024, the estimated number of internet users worldwide was 5.5 billion, up from 5.3 billion in the previous year. This share represents 68 percent of the global population. Internet access around the world Easier access to computers, the modernization of countries worldwide, and increased utilization of smartphones have allowed people to use the internet more frequently and conveniently. However, internet penetration often pertains to the current state of development regarding communications networks. As of January 2023, there were approximately 1.05 billion total internet users in China and 692 million total internet users in the United States. Online activities Social networking is one of the most popular online activities worldwide, and Facebook is the most popular online network based on active usage. As of the fourth quarter of 2023, there were over 3.07 billion monthly active Facebook users, accounting for well more than half of the internet users worldwide. Connecting with family and friends, expressing opinions, entertainment, and online shopping are amongst the most popular reasons for internet usage.

As of February 2025, 5.56 billion individuals worldwide were internet users, 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 20254. In The Netherlands, Norway and Saudi Arabia, 99 percent of the population used the internet as of February 2025. North Korea was at the opposite end of the spectrum, with virtually no internet usage penetration among the general population, ranking last worldwide. Eastern Asia was home to the largest number of online users worldwide – over 1.34 billion at the latest count. Southern Asia ranked second, with around 1.2 billion 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 2024, 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 African countries, with around a ten percent difference. Worldwide regions, like the Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe, showed a smaller usage gap between these two genders. As of 2024, global internet usage was higher among individuals between 15 and 24 years old 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 global number of internet users in was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 1.3 billion users (+23.66 percent). After the fifteenth consecutive increasing year, the number of users is estimated to reach 7 billion users and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the number of internet users of was continuously increasing over the past years.Depicted is the estimated number of individuals in the country or region at hand, that use the internet. As the datasource clarifies, connection quality and usage frequency are distinct aspects, not taken into account here.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 number of internet users in countries like the Americas and Asia.

Individuals who used any internet connected devices or... Details Download XLSX Individuals who used any internet connected devices or...

Annual data on internet usage in Great Britain, including frequency of internet use, internet activities and internet purchasing.

SMRT26 - Individuals who used any internet connected devices or systems for private purposes and problems encountered. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Individuals who used any internet connected devices or systems for private purposes and problems encountered...

SMRT17 - Individuals who used any internet connected devices or systems for private purposes and problems encountered. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Individuals who used any internet connected devices or systems for private purposes and problems encountered...

Individuals who used any internet connected devices or... Details Download XLSX Individuals who used any internet connected devices or...

SMRT19 - Individuals who used any internet connected devices or systems for private purposes and problems encountered. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Individuals who used any internet connected devices or systems for private purposes and problems encountered...

SMRT08 - Individuals who used / did not use any internet-connected devices or systems for private purposes and their reason for not using. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Individuals who used / did not use any internet-connected devices or systems for private purposes and their reason for not using...

Individuals who used any internet connected devices or systems for private purposes and problems encountered

SMRT18 - Individuals who used any internet connected devices or systems for private purposes by problems encountered. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Individuals who used any internet connected devices or systems for private purposes by problems encountered...

SMRT22 - Individuals who used / did not use any internet-connected devices or systems for private purposes and their reason for not using. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Individuals who used / did not use any internet-connected devices or systems for private purposes and their reason for not using...

When asked about "Attitudes towards the internet", most Japanese respondents pick "I'm concerned that my data is being misused on the internet" as an answer. 35 percent did so in our online survey in 2025. Looking to gain valuable insights about users of internet providers worldwide? Check out our reports on consumers who use internet providers. These reports give readers a thorough picture of these customers, including their identities, preferences, opinions, and methods of communication.

SMRT11 - Individuals who used / did not use any internet-connected devices or systems for private purposes by their reason for not using. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Individuals who used / did not use any internet-connected devices or systems for private purposes by their reason for not using...

SMRT23 - Individuals who used other internet connected home entertainment devices/systems. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Individuals who used other internet connected home entertainment devices/systems...

SMRT25 - Individuals who used other internet connected home entertainment devices/systems. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Individuals who used other internet connected home entertainment devices/systems...

SMRT09 - Individuals who used / did not use any internet-connected devices or systems for private purposes and their reason for not using. Published by Central Statistics Office. Available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY-4.0).Individuals who used / did not use any internet-connected devices or systems for private purposes and their reason for not using...

Graph and download economic data for Internet users for the United States (ITNETUSERP2USA) from 1990 to 2023 about internet, persons, and USA.

Annual data on internet usage in Great Britain, including how households connect to the internet, internet activities and internet purchasing.