United Kingdom — Internet users
Individuals Using the Internet (% of Population) for United Kingdom, 1990–2024.
Internet users for United Kingdom was 95.47% in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1990 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 96.20% in 2021. The lowest was 0.09% in 1990 (about 1092.4× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 22.85% per year.
United Kingdom ranks 29 of 203 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 14%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 91.93%, so United Kingdom sits above it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 1% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved up 4%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 15 of 55 economies; Gibraltar (94.44%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 117% in 1996. That is 2% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1990 level: doubled by 1992; grown tenfold by 1994. Doubling roughly every 3.4 years at that pace.
World ranking. Slipped: 13th of 201 in 1990 → 26th of 195 in 2000 → 8th of 200 in 2010 → 13th of 183 in 2020 → 26th of 180 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2024
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 95.47% | +0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 95.45% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 95.47% | -0.7 pp |
| 2021 | 96.2% | +1.4 pp |
| 2020 | 94.82% | +2.3 pp |
| 2019 | 92.52% | +1.8 pp |
| 2018 | 90.69% | +0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 90.42% | -4.4 pp |
| 2016 | 94.78% | +2.8 pp |
| 2015 | 92% | +0.4 pp |
| 2014 | 91.61% | +1.8 pp |
| 2013 | 89.84% | +2.4 pp |
| 2012 | 87.48% | +2.1 pp |
| 2011 | 85.38% | +0.4 pp |
| 2010 | 85% | +1.4 pp |
| 2009 | 83.56% | +5.2 pp |
| 2008 | 78.39% | +3.3 pp |
| 2007 | 75.09% | +6.3 pp |
| 2006 | 68.82% | -1.2 pp |
| 2005 | 70% | +4.4 pp |
| 2004 | 65.61% | +0.8 pp |
| 2003 | 64.82% | +8.3 pp |
| 2002 | 56.48% | +23.0 pp |
| 2001 | 33.48% | +6.7 pp |
| 2000 | 26.82% | +5.5 pp |
| 1999 | 21.3% | +7.6 pp |
| 1998 | 13.7% | +6.3 pp |
| 1997 | 7.39% | +3.3 pp |
| 1996 | 4.12% | +2.2 pp |
| 1995 | 1.9% | +0.9 pp |
| 1994 | 1.04% | +0.5 pp |
| 1993 | 0.52% | +0.3 pp |
| 1992 | 0.26% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 0.17% | +0.1 pp |
| 1990 | 0.09% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was United Kingdom’s Internet users in 1991?
0.17% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is United Kingdom’s Internet users growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2024 the series was growing overall: +109135.8% in total — about 22.8% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator IT.NET.USER.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 95.47%; 2023: 95.45%; 2022: 95.47%; 2021: 96.2%; 2020: 94.82%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
IT.NET.USER.ZS — Individuals Using the Internet (% of Population). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.