When it comes to internet users, some countries have more than others. But a country’s online population doesn’t necessarily reflect its overall connectivity.
To give some perspective, here’s a look at the top nine countries with the highest number of internet users, alongside their internet penetration rates (which is the number of internet users divided by a country’s overall population):
| Country | Internet Users (2020 Q1) | Internet penetration |
|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇳 China | 854,000,000 | 59% |
| 🇮🇳 India | 560,000,000 | 41% |
| 🇺🇸 United States | 313,322,868 | 95% |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 171,260,000 | 62% |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | 149,057,635 | 70% |
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 126,078,999 | 61% |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 118,626,672 | 94% |
| 🇷🇺 Russia | 116,353,942 | 79% |
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 94,199,000 | 57% |
Based on the table above and this data, it’s clear that some countries, while boasting a high number of internet users, have a long way to go before reaching full connectivity.
Take China, for instance—while the country has the highest number of internet users worldwide, it also has millions of unconnected citizens, making its overall internet penetration relatively low at 59%.
Similarly, India has a massive online community, yet its internet penetration sits at 41%. To give some context, the United States has a 95% internet penetration rate—clearly, the two largest online markets hold a ton of untapped potential compared to others across the globe.
Growth Throughout the Decades
Another way to identify emerging online markets is to look at a country’s internet growth over the years.
While internet adoption has seen an overall increase across the board, a few countries have seen astonishing growth—here’s a look at the top five countries with the largest increases this century:
| Country | Internet Growth from 2000-2020 |
|---|---|
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 94,199 % |
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 63,000 % |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 34,250 % |
| 🇮🇷 Iran | 27,040 % |
| 🇮🇳 India | 11,200 % |
No, that isn’t a typo. Bangladesh has seen a 94,199% growth in internet users over the last two decades. And yet, despite this colossal increase, its internet penetration still sits at 57%.
It’ll be interesting to see how these figures change over the next few decades. What will the world’s digital landscape look like in 2050? We’ll have to wait and see.