Global Internet Usage: A Diverse and Unequal Landscape

In 2024, there were 5.44 billion internet users worldwide, accounting for 67.1 percent of the global population. Of this total, 5.07 billion people or 62.6 percent of the world’s population were social media users.

The internet connects billions of individuals around the world and is an essential element of today’s information society. Northern Europe led the way in terms of internet usage in 2023, with countries like Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates having nearly universal internet access, with 99 percent of their populations using it. In contrast, North Korea had very low internet usage penetration and ranked last globally.

Asia had the highest number of online users, with over 2.93 billion individuals accessing the internet. Europe followed closely behind with around 750 million internet users. Countries like China, India, and the United States topped the list in terms of the number of internet users globally.

In terms of demographics, as of 2022, females made up slightly less than half (63%) of all internet users worldwide compared to males (37%). However, this gender gap was more significant in regions like the Arab States and Africa where there was about a ten percent difference between male and female internet usage rates. The age group that used the internet most heavily was between 15-24 years old across all regions except for North Korea where older age groups dominated due to limited access to technology in younger generations.

Moreover, income levels played a crucial role in determining access to the internet worldwide. High-income countries had significantly higher rates of internet usage among their populations than low-income markets; nearly two-thirds (65%) of high-income countries had nearly universal access to the internet (98%) compared to only about one quarter (26%) for low-income markets.

Overall, while billions use the internet worldwide connecting them with each other and providing vital information daily life has become increasingly dependent on it being accessible to everyone regardless their geographical location or income level is still a challenge that needs attention from governments and private sectors alike to bridge this digital divide and ensure that everyone can fully participate in today’s interconnected world economy and society