The number of people connected to the internet worldwide has reached a new milestone, underscoring the accelerating pace of digital adoption across regions and economies.
According to visualcapitalist.com, in 2025, an estimated 74 per cent of the world’s population — about 6 billion people — is now online, up from 71 per cent, or roughly 5.8 billion users, recorded a year earlier.
The latest rankings of the top 20 countries with the most internet users highlight how large populations, expanding mobile access and improved broadband infrastructure continue to drive growth, particularly in emerging markets. Analysts say the steady rise in global connectivity is reshaping commerce, communication and access to information, while also widening debates around digital inclusion, data security and online regulation.
Ranked: Top 20 Countries with the Most Internet Users
In 2025, 74% of the world’s population, or about 6 billion people, is online, up from 71% (5.8 billion) a year earlier.
While internet use continues to grow, more than a quarter of the global population remains offline. Access also varies sharply by income level, with 94% of people in high-income countries using the internet compared with just 23% in low-income countries.
This visualization ranks the top 20 countries by total number of internet users, highlighting how sheer population scale often outweighs connectivity rates. The data for this visualization comes from Datareportal.
China and India Dominate by Scale
China ranks first with roughly 1.30 billion internet users, representing more than 90% of its population. India follows with just over 1.03 billion users, despite a much lower internet penetration rate of 70%.
Together, these two countries account for more internet users than the rest of the top 20 combined.
Emerging Markets
Beyond the top two, the rankings show how large emerging markets, including Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, and Nigeria, now rival or surpass many advanced economies in total internet users, underscoring a continued shift in the center of global online activity toward the Global South.
Despite rapid global growth, Africa remains underrepresented among the world’s largest online populations. Nigeria is the only African country in the top 10, and just two African nations appear in the top 20, reflecting lower internet penetration rates and persistent gaps in infrastructure, affordability, and access across much of the continent.
