This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress
About 5.5 billion people will be connected to the Internet in 2024, an increase of 227 million people from revised estimates for 2023, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) says in a new report.
Estimates presented in the ITU Facts and Figures 2024 report show that connectivity continues to grow around the world, but reveal the complexity of accessing communities in low-income countries. While around 68% of the world’s population is now online and all indicators tracked in the report show improvement, stubborn digital divides persist and around a third of the world’s population remains offline, says the UN agency responsible for digital technologies, based in Geneva.
“Facts and Figures 2024 is a story of two digital realities, one in high-income countries and the other in low-income countries,” said ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin. “Large gaps in key connectivity indicators prevent the most vulnerable people from accessing information, education and employment opportunities online. This report reminds us that real progress in our interconnected world is not about how quickly we move, but about ensuring that everyone moves forward together,” she added.
The report shows that Internet use remains closely linked to the level of development. Thus, in high-income countries, it is estimated that 93% of the population was using the Internet in 2024. This contrasts with low-income countries, where it is estimated that only 27% of the population is online. Connectivity challenges also remain in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), where only 35% of the population is estimated to be online, and in Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), where only 39% of the population is connected.
In total, the ITU estimates that 2.6 billion people will not be connected to the Internet in 2024, or 32% of the world’s population. This figure is down from the new revised estimate of 2.8 billion for 2023, which represents 35% of the population.
