In a world where technology is developing at a rapid pace, the internet stands as one of the most transformative inventions in modern history. Initially a network reserved for military and academic use, the internet has grown into a global platform that connects billions of people, regardless of geographical and cultural boundaries.

It's important to recognize that the statistics and figures presented about internet usage, telephony, and social media can often be difficult to verify with full certainty. This is due to several factors:

• Varying Reports: There are a number of reports from different organizations and businesses, but the figures they present can vary significantly. This is because they often calculate and interpret data based on different criteria.

• Automated Profiles: On social media, there is a significant number of automated profiles, also known as bots or fake profiles. These non-human accounts generate content and interact with other users. These profiles, which do not represent real people, can distort the perception of activity and engagement on various social media platforms.

• Data Collection and Analysis Methods: Different methods of data collection and analysis can result in divergent conclusions about user patterns and the popularity of various technologies.

The complexity and uncertainty surrounding data make it challenging to provide accurate and definitive figures. Therefore, it's important to approach these numbers with an understanding of their potential limitations and variability.

Global Overview of Internet Usage

The global reach of the internet is nothing less than impressive. The ITU (International Telecommunication Union) estimates that about 5.4 billion people, or 67% of the world's population, use the internet in 2023. This represents an increase of 45% since 2018, with an estimated 1.7 billion people gaining access to the internet during this period. This significant user base reflects not only the proliferation of technology but also its central role in modern societies. However, there are still 2.6 billion people who are not online. Read more at ITU (external link).

Regional Differences

Although global internet usage has reached impressive heights, a detailed analysis shows significant regional differences. The ITU reports that in 2023, 67% of the world's population, or 5.4 billion people, are online, representing a growth of 4.7% since 2022. In high-income countries, 93% of the population uses the internet, nearing universal use.

According to Statista's report on the number of internet and social media users worldwide as of October 2023 (external link), Northern Europe ranked first among the world's regions in the proportion of the population using the internet in 2023. In Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, 99 percent of the population used the internet as of April 2023. North Korea was at the opposite end of the spectrum, with virtually no internet penetration among the general population, ranking last in the world.

This contrasts with low-income countries, where only 27% of the population uses the internet, up from 24% in 2022. This 66 percentage point difference between high- and low-income countries and regions illustrates the depth of the digital divide. In low-income countries, the number of internet users has grown by 44.1% since 2020, an encouraging development, but the starting point was very low. In high-income countries, the number of users increased by just 1.1% over the same period, which was to be expected given the high penetration rate.

Europe, CIS, and America show internet usage rates between 87 and 91%, while in the Arab states and Asia-Pacific region, the usage rate is about two-thirds of the population. In Africa, only 37% of the population uses the internet. Universal connectivity is still a distant prospect in least developed countries (LDCs) and landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), where only 35 and 39% of the population are online, respectively.

Largest Digital Populations in the World

As of January 2023, China ranked first among countries with the most internet users in the world, with 1.05 billion internet users, more than three times as many as the United States, which was in third place with around 311 million internet users. All BRIC markets had over 100 million internet users, accounting for four of the nine countries with more than 100 million internet users.

As of January 2023, there were five billion internet users in the world. However, there are large differences in user distribution by region. East Asia is home to 1.24 billion internet users, while Africa and the Middle East had lower user numbers. Furthermore, urban areas showed a higher percentage of internet access than rural areas.

India has the world's largest "unconnected" population of 730 million people, while China, despite an adoption rate of over 70 percent, has the second largest with nearly 375 million unconnected individuals.

Top 5

• China: 1,050 million internet users

• India: 692 million internet users

• USA: 311.3 million internet users

• Indonesia: 212.9 million internet users

• Brazil: 181.8 million internet users

See the full list here: Statista (external link)