As of 2024, the global population reached 5.44 billion, with internet usage being a crucial component of modern information society. Out of this total, 5.07 billion people were active social media users, accounting for 62.6 percent of the world’s population. The internet connects billions of people worldwide and plays a fundamental role in shaping our lives.
In 2023, Northern Europe led the way in internet penetration rates, with countries like Norway, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates boasting a 99 percent penetration rate. On the other hand, North Korea had exceedingly low internet usage among its population, ranking at the bottom worldwide. Asia had the largest number of online users in 2023, surpassing 2.93 billion users followed by Europe with approximately 750 million users. Countries like China, India, and the United States led the pack in terms of sheer numbers of internet users.
The global gender disparity in internet usage stood at 63 percent for women in 2022 six percent lower than men. The divide was more substantial in regions like Arab States and Africa where there was a ten percent difference between male and female internet users. However, regions such as Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe demonstrated a smaller gender gap. Young people aged 15-24 had the highest internet usage rates across all regions in 2022; Europe topped the list at an impressive penetration rate of 98 percent while globally averaged out at around only 75 percent.
Furthermore, income levels played a significant role in determining whether or not someone could access the internet; with high-income countries having nearly complete coverage (91%) while low-income markets lagged behind with only about one-fourth (around twenty-six percent) utilizing it.
Overall, these statistics highlight that despite advancements made over time in connecting individuals through technology
