Around 2 billion people worldwide still do not use the internet, although the number of connected people continues to grow. In 2026, approximately 6.3 billion people, or 76% of the world’s population, use the internet, according to the International Telecommunication Union’s „Facts and Figures 2026“ report.
The share of people without internet access amounts to 24% of the planet’s population. This is lower than the initial estimate of 2.2 billion people for the previous year, with the International Telecommunication Union clarifying that the earlier data were subsequently revised.
The gap between men and women remains
The data show that men continue to be more connected to the global network. Some 79% of men worldwide use the internet, compared with 74% of women. The difference is five percentage points.
The share is highest among young people. Some 86% of people aged between 15 and 24 use the internet, while the figure for the rest of the population is 74%. Age thus remains one of the factors that most clearly distinguishes online from offline populations.
Cities are outpacing rural areas
There is also a significant difference depending on where people live. In cities, 82% of residents use the internet, while in rural areas the share is 63%. The data outline a persistent digital divide between people living in better-connected communities and those in remote areas.
Mobile phone figures also reveal inequalities. On average, 84% of the population aged over 10 owns a mobile phone. In low-income countries, the share is 57%, while in high-income countries it reaches 95%.
„Being offline means missed opportunities“
„In the age of artificial intelligence, being offline means being excluded from countless opportunities – from education to employment,“ says Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union.
In her words, connectivity needs to be expanded, but internet access must also be meaningful and useful for everyone. This includes not only the availability of a network, but also the ability of people to access devices, affordable services and the skills needed to use digital technologies.
Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau, points out that progress is significant, but work remains to turn access to technology into real benefits for people’s lives. He stresses the need to develop digital skills, since without them the benefits of technology may remain inaccessible to a large part of the population.