Internet Statistics By Demographics, Users, Technologies And Traffic

Introduction

Internet Statistics: The Internet has become a big part of everyday life, connecting people all over the world. It helps with communication, business, education, and entertainment. Every year, more people use the internet, and the number of websites, social media users, and online businesses keeps growing. Fast Internet speeds and better technology have made online activities easier and more accessible. People now shop, learn, and even work online more than ever before.

This article will share important internet statistics, including the number of users, global internet growth, and how people use the internet daily. These facts and statistics below will help you understand how the internet is changing and shaping the future.

Editor’s Choice

(Reference: statista.com)

• Internet Statistics show that by February 2025, the number of internet users worldwide had reached 5.56 billion, making up 67.9% of the global population.
• Out of this total, about 5.24 billion people were social media users, which is 63.9% of the world’s population.
• In 2024, the number of internet users increased by 136 million, marking a 2.5% growth rate. ​
• Despite growth, 2.63 billion people remain offline as of 2025.
• The average internet user spends 6 hours and 38 minutes online each day.
• Approximately 96.3% of internet users access the internet via mobile phones. ​
• In 2025, it’s projected that 181 zettabytes of data will be generated globally.
• China has the most users, with 1.1 billion, followed by India with 881.3 million and the United States with 311.3 million.
• In nations like the Netherlands, Norway, and Saudi Arabia, 99% of the population uses the internet.
• As of 2023, 65% of women use the internet globally, compared to 70% of men, indicating a 5% gap.

General Internet Statistics

• At the start of 2025, 62.8% of adult internet users go online mainly to find information.
• Interestingly, over 60% of internet users say their main reason for using the internet is to stay connected with friends and family.
• Social interactions are the main reason for internet users aged 16 to 34 to go online, but they rank third for those 55 and older.
• As of 2023, about 311.3 million people in the United States are using the Internet, up from 307.34 million in 2022.
• The number of internet users in the U.S. is predicted to grow to 332.14 million by the end of 2028, a rise of 6.44%.
• Internet usage in the U.S. has increased to 91.8%.
• Globally, the number of internet users is expected to reach 5.3 billion in 2023, a 0.5% increase from 2023.
• In the first quarter of 2023, 27.8 million people in the U.S. were not using the Internet.
• Internet statistics stated that around 8.2% of U.S. internet users were mostly offline at the start of 2023.
• In 2023, the average internet speed in the U.S. grew by 41.3% from 2022, reaching 55.38 Mbps.

(Source: datareportal.com)

• By the end of 2023, around 90% of internet users in the U.S. were between 18 and 29 years old.
• Worldwide, internet access has increased by 63.5% across the global population.
• In 2023, 170 million more people started using the Internet through mobile phones.
• Almost 92.1% of internet browsing worldwide is done on mobile phones.
• In January 2024, 4.9 billion people were using the Internet.
• Internet statistics state that almost 57% of internet content is in English.
• Almost all shoppers planned to buy things through social media in 2023.
• Men use social media more than women.
• In 2022-2023, 79% of children aged 8-11 used a tablet to access the Internet.
• More than 61% of website traffic now comes from mobile phones.
• Google has more than 90% of the search engine market online.
• As of January 2023, the Internet has over 1.12 billion websites.

Internet Demographics Statistics

• As of Q3 2024, 64.4% of women worldwide use the Internet.
• On the other hand, 69.8% of men worldwide are online.
• This is a 5% increase from the previous year for women and a 4.3% increase for men.
• In the U.S., 96% of women and 94% of men use the Internet.
• According to the most recent data, the percentage of men using the Internet worldwide has stayed the same since 2023, while the percentage of women online has risen from 93% to 96%.
• Here is a table showing how internet users in the U.S. are split by gender:

• In the United States, 98% of adults aged 30 to 49 use the Internet.
• Most people in this age group have internet access.
• Internet statistics stated that only 88% of people aged 65 and older are online in the U.S.
• The table below shows the percentage of adults in different age groups who access the Internet in the United States.

Global Number Of Internet Users

(Reference: statista.com)

• As of October 2024, 5.52 billion people were using the Internet worldwide, which is about 67.5% of the global population.
• Out of that, 5.22 billion people, or 63.8% of the world’s population, were using social media.
• The Internet connects billions of people and is a key part of today’s information society.
• In 2024, Northern Europe had the highest percentage of people using the Internet.
• Countries like the Netherlands, Norway, and Saudi Arabia had 99% of their populations online by April 2024.

(Reference: statista.com)

• Internet Statistics in 2024 show that the number of internet users worldwide reached an estimated 5.5 billion, increasing from 5.3 billion in 2023.
• This means that 68% of the world’s population now has access to the internet.

• On the other hand, North Korea had almost no internet usage among its population, ranking last globally.
• Worldwide Internet users:

• Internet statistics stated that Asia had the highest number of internet users, with over 2.93 billion people online.
• Europe came second with about 750 million internet users. China, India, and the United States had the most internet users in individual countries.
• As of 2023, 65% of internet users worldwide were women, which was 5% less than men.
• The gender gap was bigger in regions like the Arab States and Africa, where the difference was around 10%.
• Internet users by region:

• In places like Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, the gap was smaller.
• The highest number of internet users were in the 15-24 age group, with Europe having the largest share—98% of young people were online.
• The global average for this age group was 79%.
• The income level of a country also impacted internet access: 93% of people in high-income countries used the Internet, compared to only 27% in low-income countries.

Social Media And Online Communication

• Social media is now a major part of everyday life. It has changed the way people talk, stay connected, and express their ideas online.
• It also brings people together worldwide and plays a key role in how we interact in the digital world.

(Source: statusbrew.com)

Popular Platforms and Their User Numbers:

#1. Facebook: Facebook continues to lead with 2.99 billion monthly active users. Of those, 2.04 billion users log in daily, meaning 68.2% of Facebook’s monthly users use it every day.

#2. Instagram: Instagram, which attracts more than 2 billion monthly active users, is especially popular among younger users who enjoy its image-based content. It is expected to grow to 2.5 billion users by the end of the year. Internet statistics state that about 47.84% of the world’s 4.18 billion smartphone users engage with Instagram each month.

#3. Twitter: Twitter has around 450 million monthly active users and is known for news updates and public discussions. It has grown significantly, with 237.8 million monetizable daily active users, up from 115 million in 2017.

(Source: sproutsocial.com)

• Messaging apps like WhatsApp, WeChat, and Messenger are replacing traditional email due to their quick communication.
• WhatsApp has 2.7 billion users, WeChat has 1.67 billion, and Messenger has 1.3 billion monthly users, thanks to their easy and fast messaging.
• Video conferencing tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have become even more important, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Zoom had 300 million daily participants, showing how crucial video meetings are for work and global communication.
• Emojis, GIFs, and stickers are now widely used in digital conversations. These visuals help show feelings and meanings that words alone can’t express.
• Around 95% of internet users regularly use emojis, which highlights their global popularity.
• The digital world has created new ways of talking, like using short forms such as “LOL,” “BRB,” and other internet slang.
• This change reflects the quick, casual style of online chats and helps people feel connected.

Internet Usage Statistics

• On average, internet users spend about six hours and 31 minutes online each day.
• Internet statistics stated that this is 4 minutes less than the previous average of 6 hours and 35 minutes.
• The time spent online around the world was at its highest during the COVID-19 period, but it has gone down in recent months.

(Reference: enterpriseappstoday.com)

• The table below shows the average time spent online by internet users globally as of Q1 2024:

• About 95.9% of internet users around the world use mobile phones to go online.
• In comparison, 62.2% of people access the Internet through laptops or desktops.
• Internet statistics stated that only 27.6% of users use tablets to get online.

(Reference: enterpriseappstoday.com)

• The table below shows the percentage of Internet users worldwide accessing the Internet by device as of Q1 2024:

Internet Connection Technologies

• Internet speeds have changed a lot over time, moving from slow dial-up connections to the super-fast gigabit fiber-optic networks we have today.
• Dial-up Internet used to run at only 56 kbps, but now DSL can go up to 100 Mbps.
• Cable internet is faster, with speeds between 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps. The fastest option is fiber-optic networks, which can deliver speeds up to 1,000 Mbps or 1 Gbps.
• Broadband access has expanded, thanks to continued investments in building and improving networks.

(Source: iot-analytics.com)

• Governments, telecommunications companies, and private groups have invested a lot of money to make high-speed Internet available, especially in urban areas.
• Cities have better access to high-speed Internet, making it easier for people to do things like online education and use other digital services that improve daily life.
• Rural areas, however, face difficulties because there are fewer internet options, creating a “digital divide.”
• Poor infrastructure and geographic challenges lead to slower Internet speeds, which affects access to education, jobs, and quality of life.
• 5G technology offers faster speeds and lower latency, which will allow real-time applications to become even more common.

(Source: datareportal.com)

• Industries like the Internet of Things (IoT) will benefit a lot, as 5G lets devices communicate more quickly and smoothly.
• This is especially important for technologies like self-driving cars, remote health care, and factory automation, where fast decision-making is essential.
• 5G’s fast speeds and low latency improve user experience. It makes things like HD streaming, online gaming without delays, and virtual reality more accessible and enjoyable. This higher level of connectivity will make things more interactive and engaging.
• 5G can connect many more devices at the same time, making IoT even more powerful.
• Devices like sensors, wearables, and smart home appliances can work together more smoothly, leading to better automation, data analysis, and new services that improve our daily lives and businesses.
• 5G is also important for creating smart cities. Its low latency and fast data speeds help cities manage traffic better, save energy, and improve safety.
• The combination of 5G and IoT will help create more efficient, connected, and sustainable cities that benefit both the people living there and the environment.

Internet Users Statistics By Country

• China has the largest number of internet users, but only a little over half of its people are online.
• India ranks second in internet users, but they make up only about 20% of the country’s total population.
• On the other hand, countries like the United Kingdom and the United States have a much higher internet penetration rate, with 90% of their people using the internet.

• As mentioned in Internet Statistics, the Netherlands has an internet penetration rate of 99%, meaning almost everyone in the country uses the internet.
• Norway also has 99% of its people connected to the internet, making it one of the most connected countries.
• Saudi Arabia has achieved a 99% internet usage rate, showing strong digital access across the nation.
• Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and Denmark all have a 99% internet penetration rate, ensuring widespread connectivity for their citizens.

Cybersecurity Statistics

• Cybercrime costs the world about USD 1 trillion every year. This includes losses from various cyberattacks, such as ransomware, phishing, identity theft, and other online scams.
• The USD 1 trillion also covers damage to a company’s reputation, legal fees, and the expenses of improving security.
• Internet statistics stated that these costs are expected to grow to USD 5 trillion by 2025.
• The average cost of one data breach is USD35 million, which is an increase of USD 490,000 from the year before.
• For businesses in the U.S., the cost is even higher, at USD44 million per breach.
• On average, it takes businesses 9 months (277 days) to find and fix a breach in their security.

(Reference: statista.com)

• According to IBM research, if businesses could reduce this time by 77 days (to 200 days), they could save around USD12 million per breach.
• The most common type of security breach is when credentials (like usernames and passwords) are stolen or compromised, accounting for 19% of breaches. These breaches also take the longest to fix, averaging 327 days to resolve.
• Phishing attacks are the most expensive breaches, costing an average of USD 91 million each.
• They are also the second most common type of breach, making up 16% of all incidents.
• Internet statistics stated that the second most expensive breach happens when a business email is hacked, which costs around USD89 million per incident.

Internet Traffic Statistics

• In the past, people had to know a website’s address to visit it by typing it into their browser. Now, 90% of online activities begin with a search engine.
• Internet statistics state that around 30% of all internet traffic comes from people clicking on results from search engines, showing how important it is to optimize content for search engines.
• Over half of all internet traffic worldwide comes from mobile devices. This is especially true in areas like Asia and Africa, where people often need access to high-quality wired Internet.
• Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and YouTube drive 63% of all internet traffic. This demand for video content might be why some internet service providers (ISPs) are raising prices for video streaming platforms.
• Spam emails have moved online, with studies showing that about 60% of all email traffic is made up of unsolicited messages.
• Less than 40% of internet traffic comes from real people, with the rest being generated by bots, both “good” and “bad.”
• Internet statistics stated that about 25% of this bot traffic comes from helpful bots like search engine crawlers and social media bots.
• As more people access the Internet, the amount of traffic has increased to an average of 333 exabytes (EB) per month. For context, 1 exabyte equals 1 billion gigabytes (GB).

Conclusion

Internet usage data shows how the Internet has become an essential part of everyday life, with more people using it and mobile access becoming more common. Social media’s strong influence, changes in shopping and entertainment, and the growing need for security and new technologies all point to a fast-changing digital world.

As businesses, governments, and individuals keep up with these changes, focusing on digital access for everyone, protecting privacy, and using new strategies will be key to using the Internet for positive change and progress in society. We have shed enough light on Internet Statistics through this article.

Joseph D'Souza

Joseph D'Souza started Coolest Gadgets in 2005 to share his love for tech gadgets. It has since become a popular tech blog, famous for detailed gadget's reviews and companies statistics. Joseph is committed to providing clear, well-researched content, making tech easy to understand for everyone. Coolest Gadgets is a trusted source for tech news, loved by both tech fans and beginners.

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