TOP 10 Countries by Share of Population Using the Internet (2025)
In less than three decades, the Internet has shifted from a niche technology to a basic utility. For most people, being “connected” now underpins work, education, access to information and social life. A simple but powerful indicator of this digital transition is the share of the population using the Internet: the percentage of individuals who used the Internet in the last three months.
1. What does “share of population using the Internet” measure?
International organisations such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Bank compile country statistics on individuals using the Internet. The indicator typically covers:
- all individuals of a given age (often 15+), regardless of technology (fixed, mobile, public access);
- use from any location — home, work, school, mobile device, community centres;
- use within a reference period (usually the last three months).
In this StatRanker-style overview, we focus on the percentage of the population using the Internet and identify the Top 10 countries that are closest to universal adoption. The underlying values are aligned with the ranges reported in recent ITU and World Bank datasets, expressed here as rounded, illustrative examples.
2. Data sources and methodology for the Top 10
The ranking combines three complementary sources:
- ITU “Individuals using the Internet” (%) — official country statistics from household surveys and operator data, harmonised by ITU.
- World Bank World Development Indicators — the same series, republished with additional metadata and regional aggregates.
- National statistical offices and regulators — where more recent national surveys are available, they can be used to refine the latest values.
StatRanker uses the most recent year with reliable data up to 2024 as a proxy for “2025”, then ranks countries by the share of the population using the Internet. Small, high-income economies and a few advanced Asian and European countries dominate the Top 10 with penetration rates very close to universal usage.
| Rank | Country | Individuals using the Internet (% of population) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iceland | ≈ 99–100 % |
| 2 | Norway | ≈ 98–99 % |
| 3 | Netherlands | ≈ 98–99 % |
| 4 | Denmark | ≈ 98–99 % |
| 5 | United Arab Emirates | ≈ 98–99 % |
| 6 | South Korea | ≈ 97–98 % |
| 7 | Sweden | ≈ 97–98 % |
| 8 | United Kingdom | ≈ 96–98 % |
| 9 | Germany | ≈ 96–98 % |
| 10 | New Zealand | ≈ 96–98 % |
| — | World average | ≈ 67–70 % |
Values are rounded ranges consistent with recent ITU and World Bank data. In StatRanker’s production environment, they should be replaced with exact country percentages and specific reference years.
The Top 10 shows that universal connectivity is technically and economically achievable. But it also highlights a large gap with the global average: even in 2025, roughly one-third of the world’s population remains offline, concentrated in low-income countries and rural areas.
3. Rural–urban gaps in Internet usage
High national averages can hide deep internal divides. In many countries, Internet use in cities is nearly universal, while rural areas lag behind. Where household surveys provide disaggregated data, StatRanker can show separate values for urban vs rural Internet usage.
The table below summarises indicative rural–urban gaps for selected advanced economies where ITU and national statistics report such breakdowns. To meet the “≤3 columns” requirement, we present: country name, urban usage rate and rural usage rate.
| Country | Urban Internet users (% of population) | Rural Internet users (% of population) |
|---|---|---|
| Norway | ≈ 99 % | ≈ 97–98 % |
| Netherlands | ≈ 99 % | ≈ 97–98 % |
| United Kingdom | ≈ 97–98 % | ≈ 90–93 % |
| Germany | ≈ 97–98 % | ≈ 88–92 % |
| New Zealand | ≈ 97–98 % | ≈ 90–94 % |
| World average | ≈ 79–82 % | ≈ 57–60 % |
In StatRanker’s backend, rural/urban usage would be derived from national household ICT surveys (often via ITU’s statistical questionnaires). Definitions of “rural” and “urban” vary by country and should be documented alongside the data.
4. Understanding the remaining digital divide
Even in high-income countries with near-universal urban connectivity, rural areas can lag because of:
- higher infrastructure costs per user in sparsely populated regions;
- limited backhaul capacity and fewer competing providers;
- lower incomes, which can make monthly broadband packages less affordable;
- skills and awareness gaps, especially among older populations.
In lower-income countries, the divide is sharper still: rural Internet usage may be less than half the urban level. For StatRanker users, comparing the Top-10 global leaders with regional and rural averages can highlight where policy interventions and investment are most urgently needed.
5. Beyond access: what Internet usage enables
The indicator “individuals using the Internet” captures access, not outcomes. However, empirical research links higher Internet usage to:
- greater access to information and services, including e-government and telemedicine;
- better labour-market outcomes for digitally skilled workers;
- higher productivity in firms that adopt digital tools;
- new risks, such as misinformation and online harm, which require policy responses.
For StatRanker, Internet usage rates can therefore be cross-tabulated with indicators of digital skills, e-commerce, remote work, educational outcomes and income, to show how connectivity translates into real socio-economic changes.
6. Visualising Internet usage for StatRanker users
Two chart types work especially well for this indicator:
- a bar chart of the share of the population using the Internet for the Top-10 countries plus the world average; and
- a line chart showing the growth of Internet penetration from 2000 to 2025 for the world and a few representative countries.
Chart 1. Individuals using the Internet — Top 10 vs world average
Chart 2. Growth of Internet penetration, 2000–2025
7. Policy lessons from near-universal Internet adoption
The experience of the Top-10 countries suggests several common ingredients of high Internet usage:
- Affordable, high-quality access networks. Competition in fixed and mobile broadband, combined with targeted subsidies where needed, keeps entry-level packages within reach of most households.
- Digital skills and inclusion programmes. Training, school curricula and community initiatives help new users make meaningful use of connectivity.
- Relevant online services. E-government portals, local-language content and digital public services create tangible reasons to go online.
- Supportive regulation and investment climate. Clear rules and predictable licensing frameworks encourage long-term network investment.
Countries still far from universal adoption can use StatRanker’s Internet usage and rural–urban data to design targeted interventions, focusing on underserved regions and groups rather than chasing a single national average.
8. Data sources and methodological transparency
For credibility, StatRanker should always expose the origin of its Internet usage statistics. A reusable HTML block for sources might look like this:
Data sources used for the Internet usage Top 10
-
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – Individuals using the Internet
Official country statistics on the share of individuals using the Internet, compiled from national household surveys and operator reports.
Data portal: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics -
World Bank – World Development Indicators (IT.NET.USER.ZS)
Republished ITU Internet usage series with consistent country codes, metadata and regional aggregates, used for cross-country and time-series comparisons.
Indicator: IT.NET.USER.ZS -
National statistical offices and ICT regulators
Country-specific household ICT surveys and digital inclusion reports, providing rural/urban splits, age breakdowns and more granular coverage indicators. -
Regional digital development studies
Assessments by regional bodies and development banks, used to validate coverage and usage patterns in areas with limited survey data.
Download: Internet usage Top 10 — tables & charts (ZIP)
The ZIP archive contains CSV tables and PNG charts for the share of population using the Internet: Top 10 leaders, the world average, and the long-term trend in Internet penetration. Suitable for dashboards, presentations and further analysis.
- internet_usage_top10_table.csv — Top 10 countries + world average (% of individuals using the Internet).
- internet_usage_urban_rural_table.csv — comparison of urban vs rural Internet usage shares.
- internet_usage_bar_chart.png — bar chart: Internet users share, Top 10 vs world average.
- internet_usage_line_chart.png — line chart: growth of Internet penetration, 2000–2025 (illustrative).
When you update the underlying data in future, you can replace this archive with a new file while keeping the same link in the article.
Download data & charts (ZIP)
