society
Internet access
Share of people who use the internet.
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Data insight
Global perspective
The world estimate was 81.1% in 2025, up 103.3% from 2015. Across the longer period from 2005, the global estimate changed by +65.5% (+419.5%). Latest country observations range from 0.0% in American Samoa (1990) to 100.0% in United Arab Emirates (2024), with the middle country observation at 81.1%; observation years may differ. Across the derived regional aggregates, Europe reports 95.0%, while Africa reports 40.9%. Over roughly a decade, Europe changed by +20.8%; Africa changed by +23.4%. Among countries with sufficient history, the largest absolute decade increase was +77.2% in Kiribati, while the largest decrease was -3.6% in Japan. Coverage includes 210 countries; their latest observation years span 1990-2025, with a median latest year of 2024.
Belgium over time
Belgium reports 95.8% in 2024. From 2014 to 2024, Belgium increased by 10.8 percentage points (12.7%). From 2004 to 2024, Belgium increased by 41.9 percentage points (77.8%). The latest decade changed by +10.8 percentage points, versus +31.1 percentage points in the preceding decade, indicating a smaller absolute movement.
Europe and world context
This is 3.7 percentage points above Europe (2024). This is 23.1 percentage points above the world estimate (2024). From 2015 to 2025, Europe increased by 20.8 percentage points (28.1%). The latest decade changed by +20.8 percentage points, versus +33.9 percentage points in the preceding decade, indicating a smaller absolute movement.
Belgium has the 23rd-highest latest observation among 210 countries and 12th among 45 countries in Europe. Latest observation years span 1990-2025, so ranks are descriptive rather than perfectly synchronized.
- Regional spread: Europe is at 95.0% (2025), compared with 40.9% in Africa (2024).
- Largest observed decade increase: Kiribati changed by +77.2%.
- Largest observed decade decrease: Japan changed by -3.6%.
- Coverage: 210 countries; the median latest observation is 2024, with latest country observations spanning 1990-2025.
Source
World Bank
Source series IT.NET.USER.ZS. World and continent values are derived from available countries using population-weighted averages.