World internet usage, 2005 to 2025
About this statistic
World internet usage stood at 74 in 2025, up 3.4% on the previous period.
This series tracks the share of the world's population that used the internet in the past three months, from the World Bank's compilation of ITU data. The series runs from 2005, when the world recorded 16 percent, to 74 percent in 2025, up from 71 percent the period before.
Adoption curves like this one start slow, accelerate, and flatten as they approach saturation. The interesting economics live in the gaps: between countries, and inside them between cities and rural areas, which national averages do not show.
Frequently asked questions
How often does this update?
The World Bank publishes annual figures on its World Development Indicators release cycle. This statistic refreshes automatically when new years appear.
What counts as using the internet?
Any use in the previous three months, on any device. The measure says nothing about connection quality, speed, or how much people use it.
Other statistics on this topicAll Global development statistics →
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