Internet penetration rate worldwide 2020, by region
This statistic shows the internet penetration rate as of January 2020, by global region. As of that period, Northern Europe was ranked first with an online penetration rate of 95 percent, followed by Western Europe with 92 percent. The global average penetration rate was 59 percent, an increase from 35 percent in 2013.
The development of telecommunication network and technology infrastructure has a direct impact on internet penetration and internet access. In light of the slow or underdevelopment of broadband technology in some countries, many developing online markets rely on mobile connections for internet access. More than half of the global mobile phone population accessed the internet from their mobile phone, a figure that is forecast to jump to almost 65 percent in 2019. The number of internet users worldwide has been constantly on the rise thanks to the advance of mobile technology and the ongoing modernization of countries. Just over one billion people used internet in 2005; this figure stood at an estimate of 4.1 billion internet users in 2019.
Asia has the largest internet user base – nearly 2.3 billion internet users in this region alone – with East Asia accounting for the majority of this share. Despite the large volume of internet users in this region, Asia is far from being a leader in regards of online penetration. East Asia, for instance, had an online penetration rate of 63 percent as of January 2020, slightly above the global average that year, which stood at 59 percent. Northern Europe is a clear global leader, as the region’s online penetration rate stood at 95 percent.
Global internet penetration rate – additional information
The development of telecommunication network and technology infrastructure has a direct impact on internet penetration and internet access. In light of the slow or underdevelopment of broadband technology in some countries, many developing online markets rely on mobile connections for internet access. More than half of the global mobile phone population accessed the internet from their mobile phone, a figure that is forecast to jump to almost 65 percent in 2019. The number of internet users worldwide has been constantly on the rise thanks to the advance of mobile technology and the ongoing modernization of countries. Just over one billion people used internet in 2005; this figure stood at an estimate of 4.1 billion internet users in 2019.
Asia has the largest internet user base – nearly 2.3 billion internet users in this region alone – with East Asia accounting for the majority of this share. Despite the large volume of internet users in this region, Asia is far from being a leader in regards of online penetration. East Asia, for instance, had an online penetration rate of 63 percent as of January 2020, slightly above the global average that year, which stood at 59 percent. Northern Europe is a clear global leader, as the region’s online penetration rate stood at 95 percent.
