Imagine the following: the internet shuts down for exactly five minutes in every part of the world. What do you think internet statistics around the world would show? Would people be genuinely relieved for escaping the clutches of technology for a few brief moments or would there be state-wide panic?
Whatever the case, there’s no denying that the internet has brought humankind tons of new, exciting possibilities and made life a lot easier; still, it also brought with it some detrimental effects as well.
Overall, the internet makes it possible for people to work from home, stay in touch with friends, and even shop without setting a foot out of the room.
To find out all there is about internet use around the world, just keep on reading.
Top 10 Must-Know Internet Statistics:
- 2.3 billion online users come from Asia.
- 90% of Americans had access to the internet in 2019, compared to just 76% in 2009.
- Numbers from 2018 show that 65% of US citizens use home broadband.
- Globally, there are around 1.74 billion websites.
- The CMS market share of WordPress is 59.7%, making it the world’s top CMS.
- According to global internet traffic statistics, more than 90,000 websites are attacked by hackers daily.
- 10% of Chinese teens are addicted to instant messaging.
- 86% of smartphone users will check their devices while speaking with family and friends.
- 1 in 20 kids will meet strangers they met online in real life but keep it a secret.
- 71% of online users are concerned mostly with privacy and internet safety when accessing financial data.
Global Internet Usage Statistics
1. In 2019, more than 58% of the world’s population (around 4.48 billion internet users) was active online.
(Statista)
Furthermore, the facts show that China, India, and America top the list of countries in terms of online users. The highest internet penetration rate globally was shown in the UAE, Iceland, Qatar, Norway, Andorra, Aruba, and Bermuda with a staggering 99% rate of online usage. On the other end of the spectrum, North Korea has shown a mere 0.08% internet penetration rate.
2. From 2005–2018, there were 3.9 billion internet users globally.
(Statista)
According to internet statistics from 2018, the number of internet users globally shows a drastic increase from last year’s numbers — 3.65 billion. The growth in internet usage might be explained by the rapid modernization rates around the globe, as well as easier access to smartphones and computers.
3. 2.3 billion online users come from Asia.
(Statista)
Statistics on the number of internet users around the world between 2009–2019 showed that most online users come from Asia, followed by Europe, North America, and Latin America. The number of online users in Asia has grown from 1 billion in 2011 to the current 2.3 billion.
4. Based on internet statistics from 2019, the number of online users from Western Sahara grew by 364% in total.
(Statista)
Based on statistics showing the quickest growing online populations, users in Western Sahara take first place, followed by Djibouti (203%), and Tanzania (173%). Other fast-growing digital populations as of January 2019 are Niger (146%), Afghanistan (142%), and Ukraine (60%).
5. The African country with the most internet users as of March 2019 was Nigeria, with 111.6 million online users.
(Statista)
According to stats on the total number of internet users in the world from 2019, the African country with the most online users was Nigeria, followed by Egypt (49.23), Kenya (43.33), and South Africa (31.19). Other African countries where internet usage is popular include Tanzania (23), Morocco (22.57), Algeria (21), and Uganda (19). Nevertheless, the penetration rate in Africa was much lower when compared to other countries around the world. The most common areas Africans visit to get access to the internet are Internet kiosks and cybercafes.
Internet Use Statistics in the US
6. 90% of Americans have access to the internet in 2019, compared to 76% in 2009.
(PewResearch)
Statistics on internet use in the US reveal that around 50% of the adults were online in the early 2000s. Nowadays, 9 in 10 adults in the US have access to the internet.
7. In 2019, almost all Americans between the ages of 18–29 used the Internet, whereas only 73% of Americans over the age of 65 do the same.
(PewResearch)
If we look at the percentage of internet traffic in America, almost the entire population of young individuals between the ages of 18–29 use the internet. The data on internet use by age groups further showed that the percentage of individuals categorized by age is much higher in 2019 than it was in 2000. Moreover, 97% of individuals between the ages of 30–49, and 88% of individuals between 50–64, are internet users.
8. Numbers from 2018 show that 65% of US citizens use home broadband.
(PewResearch)
Based on internet facts from 2000–2010, it is evident that there has been an increase in the number of US adults using a high-speed broadband service at home. Presently, it is estimated that almost three-quarters of adults in the US own broadband internet service.
9. Hispanic adults in America spend the most time online (34%).
(Statista)
When it comes to internet use by ethnicity, the numbers showed that 26% of White Americans describe themselves as constantly being online, followed by 25% of Black Americans. Nevertheless, the numbers showed the Hispanic group topping every other group with a whopping 34%.
10. 29% of American men were constantly on the internet in 2019.
(Statista)
When it comes to technology and internet usage statistics from 2019 by gender, the numbers have shown that men are slightly more likely to be constantly online, compared to women (27%). In total, 28% of adults in the US claimed that they were constantly online.
The Youth and Internet Use Statistics
11. American parents believe that their kids spend around two hours a month online.
(FamilyEducation)
The Center for Media Research reveals that the majority of US parents are unaware of the time their children spend browsing on the internet. Realistically speaking, it is estimated that American children and teens spend more than 20 hours a month on the internet.
12. According to internet use statistics, 41% of American teens say that their parents are unaware of what they are looking at on the internet.
(FamilyEducation)
Based on a study conducted on internet use among teens, the most common activities of American teens on the internet include playing games (72%) and visiting social networking sites such as Facebook and Instagram (50%). Also, 23% of teens enjoy spending time on online dating sites such as OkCupid or Badoo.
13. In 2018, 51% of teens have used Facebook, compared to 71% in 2015.
(PewResearch)
Stats about the internet reveal that the popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook is diminishing among the teen populations in America. The numbers also show that in 2015 around 52% of teens used Instagram, whereas 41% used Snapchat. Also, more recent data shows that the number of teens who use Tumblr and Twitter is exactly the same as back in 2015.
Website and Web Traffic Stats
14. Globally, there are around 1.74 billion websites.
(Internet Live Stats)
Still, the exact number of websites remains a mystery as there are many sites out there that are currently inactive; the data shows that the number of active websites is just under 200 million. Furthermore, by the time you complete this article, thousands of new websites will come to life.
15. 51.8% of the total internet traffic comes from bots, whereas a mere 48.2% comes from people.
(Statista)
According to internet traffic statistics from 2016, more than half of internet traffic comes from bots programmed to repeatedly perform easy tasks on the internet. Some of the most common tasks they perform include retweeting content on social media or liking certain posts or pictures to give off the illusion of online authority.
16. The CMS market share of WordPress is 59.7%, making it the world’s top CMS.
(WPERP)
WordPress is certainly the best of the best when it comes to CMS platforms; it has shown more interest than its competitors such as Joomla, Drupal, Squarespace, and Tumblr. The latest internet facts and statistics show that the market share of Joomla is 6.7%, whereas Drupal has only a 4.7% market share.
17. According to global net traffic statistics, more than 90,000 websites are attacked by hackers daily.
(HostingFacts)
It’s true; even reputable websites, something that the website industry contends with, are at the risk of being hacked on a daily basis. One of the most common ways skilled hackers do this is by infecting sites with malicious codes. The most common reasons are to abuse bandwidth, distribute illicit content, and to implement phishing sites.
Internet Addiction Statistics
18. You have internet addiction if you are constantly online for 6 hours a day for at least 3 months.
(AddictionFree)
Unfortunately, the numbers show a rising trend in compulsive use of the internet. Even though it is not yet a diagnosable term, internet addiction does have its unique symptoms. Based on facts, individuals who are on the internet for less than 5 hours a day are not yet classified as “internet addicts,” whereas those who spend more time chatting, gaming, or surfing most definitely are.
19. 8.2% of Greeks are addicted to the internet.
(AddictionFree)
Based on time spent on internet statistics, the number of individuals in America who use the internet for surfing, chatting, or playing games goes up 25% every three months. What’s more, internet addiction is especially problematic in Greece; the stats show that the majority of internet addicts are male gamers and internet cafe users.
20. 10% of Chinese teens are addicted to instant messaging.
(AddictionFree)
Recent statistics in Asia show that a whopping 96% of teens use instant messaging; to no great surprise as it is a quick and effective way to chat with friends, family, and even strangers. When it comes to South Korean kids, internet stats show that 11% of them are at high risk of being addicted to the internet.
21. Surprisingly, only 1% of Norwegians have an internet addiction.
(AddictionFree)
Internet addiction in Norway does not seem to be a troublesome matter, but it is still noted that some 5% of the population is at risk of becoming addicted one day. When it comes to South Africa, the statistics show that 2% of non-IT workers and 4% of technology workers are addicted to the web.
22. 76% of the American population is addicted to the Internet.
(ValueWalk)
According to the internet usage statistics by country category, the US seems to be the most troublesome with more than three-quarters of its citizens logging online repeatedly. There are more than half a million locations in the US that offer free Wi-Fi and 1.23 phone subscriptions per individual.
23. Only 1% of the population in the East Midlands and 4% in Wales claimed that they could resist going 1 hour or less without access to the online world.
(ValueWalk)
Furthermore, internet world stats from 2018 (based on a UK survey) show that 12% of the population from Scotland and 16% of the population from Northern Ireland could manage to be happy without internet access for 1 hour or less. The same survey also found that individuals between the ages of 24–35 are the most addicted to the internet, with more than 60% claiming that they couldn’t function without 24-hour access to the internet.
24. Globally, 25% of individuals between the ages of 45–54 claimed that they check and respond to emails related to work whilst on holiday.
(ValueWalk)
Based on statistics on the total number of internet users in the world from 2018, an increasing number of people use their phones even when on holiday. The numbers also show that 20% of 25 to 34-year-olds and 19% of 18 to 24-year-olds use the internet whilst on vacation. Surprisingly, the lowest percentage was evident in 35 to 44-year-olds, with 13% of them using the internet while away from work.
25. 86% of smartphone users will check their devices while speaking with family and friends.
(BankMyCell)
Internet addiction and smartphone addiction go hand in hand; addictive sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Gmail are all available as apps ready to be downloaded on a device. According to smartphone and internet stats from 2018 and 2019, the typical smartphone user will check their device around 63 times on a daily basis.
Internet Safety Stats
26. 42% of 6 to 17-year-olds have been exposed to explicit pornographic content.
(Brandongaille.com)
Certainly, the internet can be a very dangerous place, especially for young children and teens; shocking statistics show that 1 in 25 kids between the ages of 6–17 have sent pornographic photos of themselves to others online.
27. 1 in 20 kids will meet strangers they met online in real life but keep it a secret.
(Brandongaille.com)
According to internet safety statistics, 1 in 12 children has exchanged sexual messages with unknown people on the internet. Furthermore, 25% of kids pretended to be older while chatting with strangers online.
28. 87% of teens have witnessed cyberbullying.
(McAfee)
Cyberharassment is a fairly common form of bullying (especially among teens) on the internet. According to McAfee, 25% of teens have been victims of cyberbullying, and only 10% of parents are aware of this; most often cyberbullying occurs on Facebook, a shocking 92.6%!
29. 65% of predators will use a victim’s social media profile to gain access to school and home information.
(Brandongaille.com)
Based on technology facts and statistics on online sexual predators, the numbers show that 82% of predators use social media sites to find information on the likes and dislikes of potential victims. Sadly, around 100 million young boys and 200 million young girls end up as victims of sexual predators.
30. 71% of online users are concerned mostly with privacy and internet safety when accessing financial data.
(Brandongaille.com)
According to internet statistics on safety, 57% of online users have privacy and safety concerns while shopping on the internet, whereas only 10% of users are concerned with information regarding ex-boyfriends or ex-girlfriends. When it comes to kids and internet safety, 11% of them claim that they know how to disable and bypass parental controls that have been installed for their own protection.
FAQs
What percentage of the world has Internet access in 2018?
(WeAreSocial)
Some of the latest reports indicate that globally there are more than 4 billion internet users currently. What’s more, the same report also shows that in 2017 almost a quarter of a billion new internet users appeared for the very first time on the internet. In addition, the fastest growth rate was observed on the African continent with more than 20% of new users yearly.
How many people use the Internet?
(Statista)
Nowadays, a world without internet access is almost unimaginable. The internet epidemic has truly taken the world by storm as statistics indicate that more than half of the world’s population (58%) are active internet users. This percentage (from October 2019) translates to almost 4.48 billion internet users, an increase of 9% (or 366 million) from the previous year.
Which country uses the most Internet data?
(WorldAtlas)
Yes, you’ve guessed it — China takes first place when internet data usage is concerned. With a total population of over a billion, there are more than 748 million internet users. An interesting observation is that online users have almost doubled in numbers in recent years. India takes second place (455 million) and the US ranks third with 245 million internet users.
Conclusion
Many consider the internet as our greatest invention yet as it helped modernize the world, keeps long-distance friendships alive, and make things more accessible. Nevertheless, it also caused a new kind of addiction and it’s a dangerous place full of adult and graphic content not meant for kids. Hopefully, these internet statistics have opened your eyes to the harsh reality of the virtual world.