In April 2024, there were 5.44 billion internet users worldwide, constituting 67.1 percent of the global population. Out of this total, 5.07 billion people, making up 62.6 percent of the world’s population, were social media users.
The internet plays a significant role in connecting billions of individuals across the globe and is a crucial component 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 99 percent of their populations using the internet. On the other hand, North Korea had very low internet usage penetration, ranking at the bottom worldwide.
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, 63 percent of internet users worldwide were female, which was slightly less than the percentage of male users. The gender gap was more significant in regions like the Arab States and Africa, where there was about a ten percent difference. The 15-24 age group had the highest internet usage across all regions, with young people in Europe having the highest penetration at 98 percent.
Furthermore, the income level of countries was a crucial factor in internet access. High-income countries had significantly higher internet usage rates, with 92 percent of their populations using the internet, compared to only 26 percent in low-income markets.