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.

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.

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.

The number of internet users in the United States was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 13.5 million users (+4.16 percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the number of users is estimated to reach 337.67 million 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).

As of February 2025, around 322 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.

In 2022, approximately 224 million people were accessing the internet in Indonesia. This figure is expected to grow to about 270 million by 2028.

Internet usage in Indonesia

With over 204 million internet users, Indonesia is one of the biggest online markets worldwide. As of July 2021, online penetration in the country stood at around 70 percent. Popular online activities included mobile messaging and social media. The most popular social network in Indonesia was Whatsapp, with around 89 percent of the online population using the platform. Mobile internet usage is undergoing double-digit growth rates and currently stands at over 64 percent among the population.

Internet freedom

Indonesia was listed as “partly free” in the Freedom on the Net index, which places the country ahead of less free Asian online markets such as China, Thailand or Malaysia but behind Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. This rating is due to blocked political and social content as well as various restrictions and violations of user rights, most notably through the governmental passing of the Law on Information and Electronic Transactions (ITE Law). The ITE law holds strong penalties such as prison sentences and high fines for anybody convicted of online defamation charges. This law has also been applied to blog posts and Facebook comments and has lead to self-censorship among online writers and internet users as well as an increasingly tense online atmosphere.

The number of internet users in North America was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 34.8 million users (+7.35 percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the number of users is estimated to reach 508.2 million 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 information concerning Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.

In 2024, Eastern Asia accounted for approximately 1.34 billion of the world’s internet users, followed by Southern Asia with over 1.1 billion. The global digital population in April 2022 amounted to 5.5 billion internet users in total. Internet user growth worldwide With constantly declining smartphone prices and improvements in digital infrastructure, the increasing connectivity among global online audiences is moving along at a steady pace. Many previously underserviced regions have begun to profit from mobile online connections, leapfrogging the desktop PC development phase and starting out as mobile-first societies. The fastest growing online populations based on relative year-on-year user growth include many African nations, led by the Western Sahara where online audiences grew 364 percent annually. Despite the growing number of internet users in Africa, the continent still lags behind other regions in terms of online adoption. The highest on the continent was Southern Africa with a penetration rate of 68 percent, Middle Africa was ranked last worldwide. The region had an online penetration rate of just 25 percent, highlighting the ongoing struggles for connectivity but also the untapped digital potential within Africa.

The number of internet users in Mexico was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 19.1 million users (+17.06 percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the number of users is estimated to reach 131.05 million 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).

When asked about "Attitudes towards the internet", most Mexican respondents pick "It is important to me to have mobile internet access in any place" as an answer. 56 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.

China is home to the largest online community in the world. According to estimates, the Chinese internet population was around **** billion in 2022 and would reach **** billion by 2026. By comparison, the internet user-base of the United States was around *** million in 2022. The country’s internet penetration rate is around ** percent, indicating that almost one out of three Chinese are still offline.

Mobile-first kingdom

Affordable smartphones play an important role in China’s rising internet population. In 2022, almost all Chinese people accessed the internet through mobile phones. Messaging, watching videos, and listening to music are popular activities. In fact, Chinese people spent over three hours of their daily time online. This large and engaged mobile internet population has provided a wide range of opportunities to hi-tech companies in China, including online dating and matchmaking business.

What’s next?

As of June 2022, around ** percent of online users were living in rural China. To provide more affordable and faster internet services, measures have been carried out in the country to reduce service rates and extend the 1,000-Megabyte broadband connection to over *** cities. In 2019, the government announced to roll out 5G networks in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and other major cities. The technology advancement would likely enhance internet accessibility in rural areas, further increasing the country’s internet user base.

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.

As of 2023, India had **** billion internet users, more than any other country in the world. China ranked second, with **** billion Indians accessing the internet via any device. The United States followed with approximately *** million online users.

In 2024, China reported adding ** million new users to its massive *** billion internet population. The first half-year data in 2024 revealed that nearly *****of the new internet users were between 10 and 18 years old, while a ***** were older adults aged above 50 years. The largest online community In 2023, China accounted for about ********* of the *** billion internet users worldwide. However, compared to its total population, China’s internet penetration rate is lower than in other Asian countries. Penetration rates in both South Korea and Japan were significantly higher. The market potential Internet usage in China is further characterized by a large regional discrepancy. In rural regions, the internet access rate is much lower than the national level. On the other side, the Chinese market is a mobile-first nation. Since 2014, more Chinese people have accessed the internet via mobile devices than computers. The number of mobile internet users in China increased steadily over the previous decade.

When asked about "Attitudes towards the internet", most Chinese respondents pick "It is important to me to have mobile internet access in any place" as an answer. 48 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.

The number of internet users in Brazil was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 22.4 million users (+13.87 percent). After the ninth consecutive increasing year, the number of users is estimated to reach 183.83 million 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).

As of February 2025, Northern Europe ranked first by the internet penetration rate, with over 97.9 percent of its population using the internet. Western Europe followed, with 95.1 percent. Overall, the global average internet penetration rate was roughly 67.9 percent. Global internet use The ongoing development of telecommunication networks and infrastructure has directly impacted internet penetration on a global scale. Thanks to advancing mobile technology and the continuous modernization of previously less-developed regions, the number of internet users worldwide has been on the rise in recent years, reaching 5.45 billion as of July 2024. In the world-wide-web, Google's Chrome still holds the largest market share for internet browsers, roughly 65.2 percent of the total market as of August 2024, followed by Apple's Safari at nearly 19 percent. Majority of global internet users are in Asia Asia has the most extensive internet user base – more than an estimated 2.9 billion internet users in this region alone – with East Asia accounting for most of this share. Despite this region's large volume of internet users, Asia is far from being a leader regarding online penetration. Eastern Asia, for instance, had an online penetration rate of 75.3 percent as of April 2023.

The number of internet users in Indonesia was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total **** million users (+***** percent). After the fifteenth consecutive increasing year, the number of users is estimated to reach ****** million 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 *** 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 Cambodia and Myanmar.

As of 2025, approximately 93.1 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. Additionally, in 2025, over 322 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 310 million as of 2025. By the third quarter of 2024, 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 February 2025, over 135 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.