2014

The World in

ICT

FACTS AND FIGURES

I am pleased to present the latest ICT statistics. The new figures show that, by the end
of 2014, there will be almost 3 billion Internet users, two-thirds of them coming from the
developing world, and that the number of mobile-broadband subscriptions will reach
2.3 billion globally. Fifty-five per cent of these subscriptions are expected to be in the
developing world.
Behind these numbers and statistics are real human stories. The stories of people whose
lives have improved thanks to ICTs. Our mission is to bring ICTs into the hands of ordinary
people, wherever they live. By measuring the information society, we can track progress,
or identify gaps, towards achieving socio-economic development for all.
Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau

MOBILE-BROADBAND UPTAKE CONTINUES TO GROW AT

DOUBLE-DIGIT RATES
The number of mobile-broadband subscriptions reaches 2.3 billion,
with 55% of them in developing countries
Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, 2007-2014*
90

Per 100 inhabitants

84

Developed
World
Developing

80
70
60
50
40

32

30

21

20
10
0

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014*

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

Globally, mobile-broadband penetration will reach 32% by end 2014 almost double the penetration rate just
three years earlier (2011) and four times as high as five years earlier (2009).
In developed countries, mobile-broadband penetration will reach 84%, a level four times as high as in developing
countries (21%).
Mobile broadband remains the fastest growing market segment, with continuous double-digit growth rates in
2014. Mobile broadband is growing fastest in developing countries, where 2013/2014 growth rates are expected
to be twice as high as in developed countries (26% compared with 11.5%).
By end 2014, the number of mobile-broadband subscriptions will reach 2.3billion globally, almost 5times as
many as just six years earlier (in 2008).

AFRICA LEADS IN MOBILE-BROADBAND GROWTH

Mobile-broadband penetration in Africa reaches close to 20% in 2014,
up from 2% in 2010
Share of active mobile-broadband subscriptions, by level of development (2008, 2011, 2014*)

55%

20%

40%

45%

60%

80%

2008

2011

2014*

422 million

1.2 billion

2.3 billion

Developing
Developed

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

By end 2014, 55% of all mobile-broadband subscriptions are expected to be in the developing world, compared
with only 20% in 2008.

Active mobile-broadband subscriptions by region, 2014* and growth rates, 2011-2014*

90

84

80
100,00%

64

60

32

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

21

19
Africa

23

Developing

Arab States

World

Europe

Developed

CIS

25

Asia &
Pacific

30

10

Per cent

40

20

Africa
Asia & Pacic
Arab States

80,00%

49

50

The Americas
CIS
Europe

100
90,00%
90

59

The Americas

Per 100 inhabitants

70

Africa
Asia & Pacific
Arab States

The Americas

80
70,00%
70
60,00%
60

CIS
Europe

50,00%

50

43
42,9%

40,00%

40
30,00%
30
20,00%
20
10,00%
10

0,00%
0
20
11-2012
2011/2012
Note: * Es mate
Telecommunication
Source: ITU Worl
/ICT

21
19
20,9%
19,4%
16
15,7%
14,9%
15
11,8%
12
2012-2013
2012/2013

2013-2014
2013/2014*

dIndicators database

Mobile-broadband penetration levels are highest in Europe (64%) and the Americas (59%), followed by the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (49%), the Arab States (25%), Asia-Pacific (23%) and Africa (19%).
The Americas region, with the second highest penetration levels, will be home to more than half a billion mobilebroadband subscriptions by end 2014, and the growth rate will remain above 15%.
Although by the end of 2014 Asia-Pacific will be home to close to 1 billion mobile-broadband subscriptions, the
regions penetration rate lags behind other regions, including the Arab States and CIS.
All regions continue to show double-digit growth rates but Africa stands out with a growth rate of over 40%
twice as high as the global average. By end 2014, mobile-broadband penetration in Africa will have reached
almost 20%, up from less than 2% four years earlier.

ALMOST 7 BILLION MOBILE-CELLULAR SUBSCRIPTIONS WORLDWIDE

The developing countries are home to more than three quarters of all
mobile-cellular subscriptions
Mobile-cellular subscriptions, total and per 100 inhabitants, 2005-2014*, and by region, 2014*

2000

30
20

1000
0

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*

90

96

89

80
80

69

60
60
40
40

10

20
20

00

Africa

40

108

Asia & Pacific

50

3000

110

96

Developing

4000

108

100
100

World

60

121

110

The Americas

70

125 125
121

120
120

Arab States

Millions

5000

141141
141

Developed

80

140
140

Europe

90

160
160

CIS

100

Per 100 inhabitants

6000

Developing (in millions)

Developed (in millions)
World (Per 100 inhabitants)

Per 100 inhabitants

7000

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

The number of mobile-cellular subscriptions worldwide is approaching the number of people on earth. Mobilecellular subscriptions will reach almost 7 billion by end 2014, corresponding to a penetration rate of 96%. More
than half of these (3.6 billion subscriptions) will be in the Asia-Pacific region.
In developing countries, mobile-cellular penetration will reach 90% by end 2014, compared with 121% in
developed countries.
Mobile-cellular growth rates have reached their lowest-ever level (of 2.6% globally), indicating that the market is
approaching saturation levels. The continuous increase in mobile-cellular subscriptions is mostly due to growth
in the developing world: penetration in developing countries continues to grow twice as much as in developed
countries (3.1% compared with 1.5%, respectively, in 2014).
Africa and Asia and the Pacific, where penetration will reach 69% and 89%, respectively, by end 2014, are the
regions with the strongest mobile-cellular growth (and the lowest penetration rates). Penetration rates in the CIS
countries, Arab States, the Americas and Europe have reached levels above 100% (since 2012) and are expected
to grow at less than 2% in 2014.

Share of mobile-cellular subscriptions, by level of development (2000, 2005, 2014*)

22%
78%
55%

45%

35% 65%

2000
719 million

2005

2014*

2.2 billion

6.9 billion

Developing
Developed

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

The developing countries share continues to increase and by end 2014, the number of mobile-cellular
subscriptions in the developing world will account for 78% (or more than three-quarters) of the worlds total.

FIXED-BROADBAND GROWTH SLOWING DOWN

IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
44% of all fixed-broadband subscriptions are in Asia-Pacific,compared
with only 0.5% in Africa
Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, 2005-2014*
30
30

Developed

Per 100 inhabitants

27
2.7

Developed
World
World
Developing
Developing

25
25
20
20

15
% 15
10

10
10

1.0

0.6

55

00

2005
2005 2006
2006

2007
2007

2008
2008

2009
2009

2010
2010

2011
2011 2012
2012

2013
2013

2014*
2014*

Note: * Estimate
Note:

* Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

Source: ITU World Telecommunication /ICT Indicators database

Fixed-broadband penetration continues to grow, albeit slowly (at 4.4% globally in 2014), mostly due to a
slowdown in developing countries, where fixed-broadband penetration growth rates are expected to drop from
18% in 2011 to 6% in 2014. In developed countries, fixed-broadband penetration will grow at around 3.5% in 2014
compared with 4.8% in 2011.
In 2013, the number of fixed-broadband subscriptions in developing countries overtook the number in developed
countries; a trend that is expected to continue, given the higher growth rates in developing countries compared
with developed countries.

Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by region, 2014*

30

28

27

25
20

17

6
Developing

Asia &
Pacific

World

CIS

The Americas

Europe

Developed

Africa

10

10

Arab States

14

% 15

0.4

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

44% of all fixed-broadband subscriptions are in Asia-Pacific, and 24% are in Europe. In contrast, Africa accounts
for less than 0.5% of the worlds fixed-broadband subscriptions and despite double-digit growth over the last
four years, penetration in Africa remains very low, at 0.4% by end 2014.
Africa, the Arab States, and CIS are the only regions with double-digit fixed-broadband penetration growth rates.
The Americas region stands out with the lowest growth in fixed broadband, estimated at 2.5% and reaching a
penetration rate of around 17% by the end of 2014.
Europes fixed-broadband penetration is much higher compared with other regions and almost three times as
high as the global average (28% compared with 10%).

ALMOST 3 BILLION PEOPLE 40% OF THE WORLDS

POPULATION ARE USING THE INTERNET
Close to one out of three people in the developing countries are online
Individuals using the Internet, total and percentage, 2005-2014*
3500

Developing (in millions)

Developed (in millions)
World (%)

3000
Millions

2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*

100
90
80
70
60
50 %
40
30
20
10
0

By end 2014, the number of Internet users globally will have reached almost 3 billion. Twothirds of the worlds Internet users are from the
developing world.
In developing countries, the number of Internet
users will have doubled in 5years, from
974million in 2009 to 1.9 billion in 2014.

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

Percentage of individuals using the Internet, 2005-2014*

Per 100 inhabitants

100
100
Developed
90
90
Developed
World
World
80
78
80
7.8
Developing
Developing
70
70
60
60
% 50
50
40
4.0
40
40
3.2
32
30
30
20
20
10
10
00
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014*

2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014*
Note: * Estimate

Internet user penetration has reached 40% globally, 78% in developed countries and 32% in
developing countries. 2014 growth rates in
developed countries remain at a relatively low,
at 3.3% compared with 8.7% in developing
countries.
Globally, there are 4 billion people not yet using
the Internet and more than 90% of them are
from the developing world.

Source: ITU World Telecommunication /ICT Indicators database

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

Percentage of individuals using the Internet, by region, 2014*

In Africa, almost 20% of the population will be
online by end 2014, up from 10% in 2010.

90
80

78

75

70
60

56

50
40

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

32
19
Africa

World

Arab Staates

CIS

10

Europe

20

The Americas

30

Developing

32

Asia & Pacific

41

40

Developed

In the Americas, close to two out of three people

will be using the Internet by end 2014, the second
highest penetration rate after Europe.

65

Europes Internet penetration will be reaching

75% (or three out of four people) by end 2014,
the highest worldwide.
One third of the population in Asia-Pacific will
be online by end 2014 and around 45% of the
worlds Internet users will be from the AsiaPacific region.

44% OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE INTERNET ACCESS AT HOME

In Africa, only one out of ten households is connected
Percentage of households with Internet access, by level of development, 2005-2014*
80

78

Developed
World
Developing

70
60
50

44

% 40

31

30
20
10
0
2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014*

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

By end 2014, 44% of the worlds households will have Internet access at home. Close to one third (31%) of
households in developing countries will be connected to the Internet, compared with 78% in developed countries.
2013/14 growth rates in the developing world will be more than three times as high as those in the developed
world (12.5% growth compared with 4%). Household Internet access is approaching saturation levels in
developed countries.
The number of households with Internet access in developing countries surpassed those in developed countries
in 2013, and doubled between 2010 and 2014.

78

78

Developed

80

Europe

Percentage of households with Internet access, by region, 2014*

70
57

60
53
50
36

36

Asia & Pacific

Arab States

44

% 40

31

30

The Americas

CIS

World

11
Africa

10

Developing

20

Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

By end 2014, more than one out of two households in the CIS will be connected to the Internet. In Africa, only
about one out of ten households will be connected to the Internet. However, household Internet access in Africa
continues to grow at double-digit rates (at 18% in 2014, more than twice the growth of the world average).

HIGH-SPEED ACCESS TO THE INTERNET

Differences in broadband speed persist
Fixed-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed, early 2013

Fixed-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed, early 2013

Korea (Rep.)
(Rep.)
Korea
France
France
Iceland**
Iceland**
Denmark
Denmark
Hong
Kong,China
China
Hong
Kong,
Andorra
Andorra
United
Kingdom*
United
Kingdom*
Belgium
Belgium
Netherlands**
Netherlands**
Japan
Japan
Malta
Malta
Switzerland
Switzerland
Sweden
Sweden
Portugal
Portugal
Norway*
Norway*
Finland
Finland
Germany
Germany
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Spain
Spain
UnitedStates*
States*
United
Singapore
Singapore
Greece
Greece
Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Hungary
Hungary
Lithuania
Lithuania
Canada*
Canada*
Romania
Romania
Israel
Israel
Austria
Austria
CzechRepublic
Republic
Czech
Slovenia
Slovenia
Macao,China
China
Macao,
Ireland
Ireland
Slovak
Republic
Slovak Republic
Estonia
Estonia
Poland**
Poland**
RussianFederation
Federation
Russian
Italy
Italy
Cyprus
Cyprus
Croatia
Croatia
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
China*
China*
Brazil
Brazil
Cape Verde
Verde
Cape
Chile
Chile
Belarus
Belarus
Trinidad&&Tobago
Tobago
Trinidad
United
ArabEmirates
Emirates
United
Arab
Turkey
Turkey
SaudiArabia*
Arabia*
Saudi
Bahrain
Bahrain
Georgia
Georgia
Armenia
Armenia
Serbia**
Serbia**
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Morocco
Morocco
Bosnia
and
Herzegovina
Bosnia
and
Herzegovina
Jordan
Jordan
Costa
Costa Rica
Rica
Colombia
Colombia
Oman
Oman
Venezuela
Venezuela
Tunisia**
Tunisia**
Ecuador
Ecuador
Sri
SriLanka
Lanka
Qatar
Qatar
Belize
Belize
Mauritius
Mauritius
Egypt
Egypt
Antigua
and&Barbuda
Antigua
Barbuda
Namibia
Namibia
Senegal
Senegal
Swaziland
Swaziland
Guyana
Guyana
Iran
Iran (I.R.)
(I.R.)
Bhutan
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bolivia
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Ghana
Ghana
Uganda
Uganda
Lesotho
Lesotho
Benin
Benin
Malawi
Malawi

10 Mbit/s

2 to <10 Mbit/s

256 kbit/s to <2 Mbit/s

[0.11]
[0.07]
[0.05]

[0.01]

0
5
10
15 20
25
30
35 40
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Note: Refers to advertised speeds. * Data correspond to speed intervals slightly different from the ones defined by ITU.
** Breakdown by speed available only for a part of the total fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions.
Early 2012 data.
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database

For more information:

ICT Data and Statistics Division
Telecommunication Development Bureau
International Telecommunication Union
Place des Nations
1211 Geneva 20 - Switzerland
indicators@itu.int

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