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Number of internet users worldwide 2005-2018
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Number of internet users worldwide 2005-2018
Number of internet users worldwide from 2005 to 2018 (in millions)
by J. Clement,
last edited
Jan 9, 2019
This statistic gives information on the total number of internet users worldwide from 2005 to 2018. As of the most recent reported period, the number of internet users worldwide was 3.9 billion, up from 3.65 billion in the previous year.
Easier access to computers, the modernization of countries around the world and an increased utilization of smartphones has given people the opportunity to use the internet more frequently and with more convenience. However, internet penetration often pertains to the current state of development regarding communications networks. As of December 2017, there were approximately 772 million total internet users in China and 312 million total internet users in the United States. However, broadband internet usage is not equally present in many countries and due to infrastructure reasons, developing online markets rely strongly on mobile connections. Subsequently, global mobile data traffic is set to surpass 77 exabytes per month in 2022, up from 11.5 exabytes per month as of 2017.
Social networking is one of the most popular online activities and Facebook is the most popular online network based on active usage. As of the third quarter of 2018, there were over 2.2 billion monthly active Facebook users, accounting for almost half of internet users worldwide. Connecting with family and friends, expressing opinions, entertainment and online shopping are amongst the most popular reasons for internet usage.
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by J. Clement,
last edited
Jan 9, 2019
This statistic gives information on the total number of internet users worldwide from 2005 to 2018. As of the most recent reported period, the number of internet users worldwide was 3.9 billion, up from 3.65 billion in the previous year.
Easier access to computers, the modernization of countries around the world and an increased utilization of smartphones has given people the opportunity to use the internet more frequently and with more convenience. However, internet penetration often pertains to the current state of development regarding communications networks. As of December 2017, there were approximately 772 million total internet users in China and 312 million total internet users in the United States. However, broadband internet usage is not equally present in many countries and due to infrastructure reasons, developing online markets rely strongly on mobile connections. Subsequently, global mobile data traffic is set to surpass 77 exabytes per month in 2022, up from 11.5 exabytes per month as of 2017.
Social networking is one of the most popular online activities and Facebook is the most popular online network based on active usage. As of the third quarter of 2018, there were over 2.2 billion monthly active Facebook users, accounting for almost half of internet users worldwide. Connecting with family and friends, expressing opinions, entertainment and online shopping are amongst the most popular reasons for internet usage.
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- Release date
- December 2018
- Region
- Worldwide
- Survey time period
- 2005 to 2018
- Supplementary notes
- *Estimate
Source
- Show sources information
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- December 2018
More information
- Region
- Worldwide
- Survey time period
- 2005 to 2018
- Supplementary notes
- *Estimate
Other statistics on the topic
Internet usage worldwide
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Statistics on "Internet usage worldwide"
- Online users
The most important statistics
- Global digital population as of October 2019 (in millions)Worldwide digital population as of October 2019
- Number of internet users worldwide from 2005 to 2018 (in millions)Global number of internet users 2005-2018
- Number of internet users worldwide from 2009 to 2019, by region (in millions)Number of worldwide internet users 2009-2019, by region
- Number of worldwide internet users as of January 2019, by region (in millions)Number of internet users worldwide 2019, by region
- Global internet penetration rate as of January 2019, by regionInternet penetration rate worldwide 2019, by region
- Countries with the highest number of internet users as of March 2019 (in millions)Countries with the highest number of internet users 2019
- Countries with the highest internet penetration rate as of January 2019Leading online markets based on penetration rate 2019
- Countries with the lowest internet penetration rate as of January 2019Trailing online markets based on penetration rate 2019
- Access and traffic
The most important statistics
- Fixed broadband internet subscription rate in 2018, by regionFixed broadband internet subscription rate 2018, by region
- Mobile broadband internet subscription rate in 2018, by regionMobile broadband internet subscription rate 2018, by region
- Countries with the fastest average fixed broadband internet speeds as of October 2019 (in Mbps)Countries with the fastest average fixed broadband internet speed 2019
- Countries with the fastest average mobile internet speeds as of October 2019 (in Mbps)Countries with the fastest average mobile internet speed 2019
- Number of fixed broadband internet subscriptions worldwide from 2005 to 2018 (in millions)Number of fixed broadband internet subscriptions worldwide 2005-2018
- Leading countries with the most mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in 2017Mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in 2017, by country
- Number of fixed broadband subscriptions in OECD countries as of December 2018 (in millions)OECD: number of fixed broadband subscriptions 2018
- Number of fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in OECD countries as of December 2018, by technologyOECD: number of fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2018, by technology
- Online usage
The most important statistics
- Average daily time spent per capita with the internet worldwide from 2011 to 2021 (in minutes)Global daily internet usage per capita 2011-2021
- Daily time spent with the internet per capita worldwide from 2011 to 2021, by device (in minutes)Daily internet usage per capita worldwide 2011-2021, by device
- Media usage in an internet minute as of March 2019Media usage in an online minute 2019
- Daily internet access of users in selected global online markets as of January 2018Global daily internet usage frequency 2018
- Online and offline influence of selected types of online platforms according to internet users worldwide as of March 2018Online & offline influence of online platforms 2018, by type
- Most popular social networks worldwide as of October 2019, ranked by number of active users (in millions)Global social networks ranked by number of users 2019
- Daily time spent on social networking by internet users worldwide from 2012 to 2018 (in minutes)Daily social media usage worldwide 2012-2018
- Share of internet users worldwide who have used a VPN in the past month as of 1st quarter 2018, by regionGlobal VPN usage reach 2018, by region
- Mobile internet
The most important statistics
- Mobile internet traffic as percentage of total web traffic in August 2019, by regionShare of mobile internet traffic in global regions 2019
- Number of mobile app downloads worldwide from 2016 to 2018 (in billions)Annual number of global mobile app downloads 2016-2018
- Worldwide consumer spending on mobile apps in 2017, 2018 and 2022, by region (in billion U.S. dollars)Global gross consumer spend on mobile apps 2017-2022, by region
- Mobile app verticals with the highest install and user base growth in 2018 (Growth Index score)Fastest growing mobile app categories 2018
- Most popular mobile internet activities according to internet users worldwide as of 2nd half 2017, by deviceLeading smartphone and tablet activities 2017, by device
- Most popular global mobile messenger apps as of October 2019, based on number of monthly active users (in millions)Most popular global mobile messaging apps 2019
- Digital commerce
The most important statistics
- Retail e-commerce sales worldwide from 2014 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)Global retail e-commerce sales 2014-2023
- Annual retail e-commerce sales growth worldwide from 2014 to 2023Retail e-commerce sales growth worldwide 2014-2023
- Retail e-commerce sales CAGR forecast in selected countries from 2019 to 2023Digital Market Outlook: retail e-commerce sales CAGR in selected markets 2019-2023
- Share of population who bought something online via phone in the past month as of 3rd quarter 2018, by countryMobile phone commerce reach in selected countries 2018
- Average value of global online shopping orders as of 2nd quarter 2019, by platform (in U.S. dollars)Global online shopping order value 2019, by platform
- Conversion rate of online shoppers worldwide as of 2nd quarter 2019, by platformGlobal online shopper conversion rate 2019, by platform
- Average e-commerce spending per online shopper worldwide per visit as of 1st quarter 2019, by vertical (in U.S. dollars)Global online shopper per visit spend 2019, by vertical
- Distribution of retail website visits and orders worldwide as of 1st quarter 2019, by deviceGlobal online retail website visits and orders 2019, by device
- Digital awareness
The most important statistics
- Number of user data requests issued to Google from federal agencies and governments during 1st half 2019, by country Google user data requests from federal agencies and governments H1 2019, by country
- Number of user data requests issued to Facebook from federal agencies and governments during 1st half 2019, by country Facebook: user data requests from federal agencies & governments H1 2019, by country
- Global number of user data requests issued to Twitter from federal agencies and governments during 2nd half 2018, by country Twitter: user data requests from federal agencies and governments H2 2018
- Share of internet users who are more concerned about their online privacy compared to a year ago as of February 2019, by regionGlobal opinion on concern about online privacy 2019, by region
- Share of internet users who are increasingly concerned about their online privacy due to internet companies as of February 2019, by regionGlobal concern about internet companies and online privacy 2019, by region
- Share of internet users who are increasingly concerned about their online privacy due to their own government as of February 2019, by countryGlobal concern about national government and online privacy 2019, by country
- Share of internet users worldwide who are aware of their country's data protection and privacy rules as of February 2019, by countryGlobal data protection and privacy rule awareness 2019, by country
- Share of internet users who are concerned about risks to their online privacy vs. their willingness to accept certain risks to their online privacy to make their life more convenient as of October 2018, by countryGlobal concern about internet privacy risk vs. convenience 2018, by country
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Statistics
- Internet usage of companies in China 2014, by company size
- Internet usage of companies in China 2011 by sector
- Internet usage of companies in China 2014, by region
- Russia: number of internet users 2013-2019
- Indonesia: number of netizens 2010-2013
- Judgment making about websites by new and established users in the UK 2015
- Confidence of internet usage in the United Kingdom (UK) 2018, by usage type
- Confidence of internet usage among narrow users in the United Kingdom (UK) 2015
- Visits to websites not used before in the UK 2018, by newer and established users
- Visits to websites not used before in the UK 2014, by newer and established users
- Internet take-up and intentions in the United Kingdom (UK) 2013, by gender
- Internet take-up and intentions in the United Kingdom (UK) 2013, by age
- Internet take-up and intentions in the UK 2013, by socio-economic group
- Internet users and non-users in the United Kingdom 2012, by children in household
- Internet users and non-users in the United Kingdom (UK) 2012, by socio-economic group
- Italy: internet users using adblocks 2016, by device
- Internet usage penetration in France 2018, by education level
- Internet usage to provide services among companies Malaysia 2017 by sector
- Percentage of internet users and non-users who owned select devices malaysia 2015
- Experiencing social benefits due to internet usage in France 2014, by age group
Statistics on "Internet usage worldwide - Online users"
- Worldwide digital population as of October 2019
- Global number of internet users 2005-2018
- Number of worldwide internet users 2009-2019, by region
- Number of internet users worldwide 2019, by region
- Internet penetration rate worldwide 2019, by region
- Countries with the highest number of internet users 2019
- Leading online markets based on penetration rate 2019
- Trailing online markets based on penetration rate 2019
- Fastest growing internet populations 2019
- Global internet access rate 2005-2018
- Individuals using the internet worldwide 2017, by region
- Number of internet users worldwide 2018, by country
- Number of internet users in selected Asia-Pacific countries 2019
- Latin America: internet users 2019, by country
- Africa: number of internet users in selected countries 2019
- Online penetration in selected countries in the Middle East 2016
- Global internet usage rate 2017, by gender and market maturity
- Most common languages used on the internet 2019
- Market value of the largest internet companies worldwide 2019
Statistics on "Internet usage worldwide - Access and traffic"
- Fixed broadband internet subscription rate 2018, by region
- Mobile broadband internet subscription rate 2018, by region
- Countries with the fastest average fixed broadband internet speed 2019
- Countries with the fastest average mobile internet speed 2019
- Number of fixed broadband internet subscriptions worldwide 2005-2018
- Mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in 2017, by country
- OECD: number of fixed broadband subscriptions 2018
- OECD: number of fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants 2018, by technology
- OECD: distribution of fixed broadband subscriptions 2018, by technology
- Global consumer internet subsegment traffic 2017-2022
- Leading internet traffic categories worldwide 2018
- Usage of top level domains for websites 2019
Statistics on "Internet usage worldwide - Online usage"
- Global daily internet usage per capita 2011-2021
- Daily internet usage per capita worldwide 2011-2021, by device
- Media usage in an online minute 2019
- Global daily internet usage frequency 2018
- Online & offline influence of online platforms 2018, by type
- Global social networks ranked by number of users 2019
- Daily social media usage worldwide 2012-2018
- Global VPN usage reach 2018, by region
- Main usage motivations of VPN users worldwide 2018, by device
Statistics on "Internet usage worldwide - Mobile internet"
- Share of mobile internet traffic in global regions 2019
- Annual number of global mobile app downloads 2016-2018
- Global gross consumer spend on mobile apps 2017-2022, by region
- Fastest growing mobile app categories 2018
- Leading smartphone and tablet activities 2017, by device
- Most popular global mobile messaging apps 2019
Statistics on "Internet usage worldwide - Digital commerce"
- Global retail e-commerce sales 2014-2023
- Retail e-commerce sales growth worldwide 2014-2023
- Digital Market Outlook: retail e-commerce sales CAGR in selected markets 2019-2023
- Mobile phone commerce reach in selected countries 2018
- Global online shopping order value 2019, by platform
- Global online shopper conversion rate 2019, by platform
- Global online shopper per visit spend 2019, by vertical
- Global online retail website visits and orders 2019, by device
- Distribution of consumer transactions worldwide 2018, by payment channel
Statistics on "Internet usage worldwide - Digital awareness"
- Google user data requests from federal agencies and governments H1 2019, by country
- Facebook: user data requests from federal agencies & governments H1 2019, by country
- Twitter: user data requests from federal agencies and governments H2 2018
- Global opinion on concern about online privacy 2019, by region
- Global concern about internet companies and online privacy 2019, by region
- Global concern about national government and online privacy 2019, by country
- Global data protection and privacy rule awareness 2019, by country
- Global concern about internet privacy risk vs. convenience 2018, by country
Further related statistics
- Internet usage of companies in China 2014, by company size
- Internet usage of companies in China 2011 by sector
- Internet usage of companies in China 2014, by region
- Russia: number of internet users 2013-2019
- Indonesia: number of netizens 2010-2013
- Judgment making about websites by new and established users in the UK 2015
- Confidence of internet usage in the United Kingdom (UK) 2018, by usage type
- Confidence of internet usage among narrow users in the United Kingdom (UK) 2015
- Visits to websites not used before in the UK 2018, by newer and established users
- Visits to websites not used before in the UK 2014, by newer and established users
- Internet take-up and intentions in the United Kingdom (UK) 2013, by gender
- Internet take-up and intentions in the United Kingdom (UK) 2013, by age
- Internet take-up and intentions in the UK 2013, by socio-economic group
- Internet users and non-users in the United Kingdom 2012, by children in household
- Internet users and non-users in the United Kingdom (UK) 2012, by socio-economic group
- Italy: internet users using adblocks 2016, by device
- Internet usage penetration in France 2018, by education level
- Internet usage to provide services among companies Malaysia 2017 by sector
- Percentage of internet users and non-users who owned select devices malaysia 2015
- Experiencing social benefits due to internet usage in France 2014, by age group
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