Published on: 2026-11-03
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
November 3, 2026 Economic Development
Today, 6.3 billion people, or 76 percent of the world’s population, use the internet. These data were reported on Tuesday by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
This figure increased compared to 2025, when, according to revised data, the number of World Wide Web users was 6.1 billion people, or 74 percent of the population. In the CIS countries, in 2026, 93 percent of the population used the internet — compared to 91 percent in 2025.
Despite the continuous expansion of network access, 2 billion people still remain offline, the ITU notes.
Digital inequality
“In the age of artificial intelligence, lack of internet access means that a person is deprived of a vast array of opportunities – from education to employment,” noted Dorin Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the ITU. “Today, more than ever, it is important to expand access to the network and make it truly effective for every person, wherever they may be.”
ITU data indicate persistent inequality in network connectivity issues. For example, in high-income countries, 93 percent of the population use the internet, whereas in low-income countries, only 32 percent do.
The ITU emphasizes that every person should have the ability to access the World Wide Web at an affordable price, at any time and anywhere.
“Further expansion of global network access opens up opportunities for socio-economic development and promotes broader adoption of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence,” said Kosmas Lakison Zawazawa, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau.
He called for special attention to be paid to the development of the population’s digital skills. “Without them and without full access to the network, the advantages of technology may remain inaccessible to many, which will only exacerbate the existing digital inequality,” he said.
Key conclusions of the ITU
• Gender aspect: overall, 79 percent of men and 74 percent of women use the internet worldwide; in the CIS countries, 93 percent of men and 92 percent of women use it.
• Age: young people remain the most “connected” group to the internet: 86 percent of people aged 15 to 24 use the internet, while among the rest of the population this figure is 74 percent. In the CIS, these figures are 97 percent and 92 percent respectively.
• Place of residence: the gap between urban and rural areas has narrowed. Globally, 82 percent of urban residents have access to the internet compared to 63 percent of rural residents. For CIS countries, these figures are 94 percent and 89 percent, respectively.
• Mobile phone ownership: 84 percent of the global population aged 10 and older own a mobile phone. In high-income countries, this figure exceeds 95 percent, while in low-income countries it stands at 57 percent.
• Mobile network coverage: it is estimated that 97 percent of the world’s population live within the range of at least a 3G network. However, coverage with more advanced technologies remains highly uneven. While on average 5G is available to 59 percent of the world’s population, in high-income countries this figure reaches 86 percent, and in low-income countries only 4 percent. In the CIS countries, 87 percent of the population use 4G networks, and only 10 percent use 5G networks.
• Monthly mobile usage: the average volume of mobile broadband traffic per subscription is 20 GB in high-income countries, which is almost six times more than in low-income countries (3.4 GB).
• Affordability: the median cost of the “consumer basket of services” for mobile broadband access (data transmission only) has decreased to 1.2 percent of gross national income (GNI) per capita, and for fixed broadband access – to 2.3 percent. In the CIS, both indicators amount to 0.9 percent of GNI per capita.
In 2026, developing countries without sea access and small island developing states for the first time achieved the globally recognized service accessibility target: the cost of mobile broadband in these countries amounted to 2 percent of GNI per capita.
However, in the least developed countries, the median price still amounts to 6.1 percent of gross national income per capita. Overall, 30 percent of countries have not met target affordability levels for either fixed or mobile broadband.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) notes that as artificial intelligence transforms the economy and society, it is the connectivity opportunities and the availability of digital skills that will determine who exactly benefits from technological development.
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