16.1%
Internet penetration in Afghanistan in 2024, the latest available observation in this series.
Internet penetration history · AFG
Afghanistan internet penetration over time
The latest verified observation is 16.1% in 2024. The available series begins at 0% in 1990, a net change of 16.1 percentage points.
25 VERIFIED OBSERVATIONS · ITU VIA WDIQuick answers
+16.1 pp
Change between the first available observation in 1990 and the latest in 2024.
-1.5 pp
From 2019 to 2024, the observed rate changed by -1.5 percentage points, from 17.6% to 16.1%.
The available observations never reach 50%. The available observations never reach 75%.
Historical trend
Each point is an official observation returned by World Bank WDI for IT.NET.USER.ZS. Lines connect observed points for readability; they do not create data for missing years.
Year-by-year internet penetration
| Year | Internet users |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 16.1% |
| 2023 | 15.9% |
| 2022 | 15.9% |
| 2021 | 16.5% |
| 2020 | 17% |
| 2019 | 17.6% |
| 2018 | 16.8% |
| 2017 | 13.5% |
| 2016 | 11% |
| 2015 | 8.3% |
| 2014 | 7% |
| 2013 | 5.9% |
| 2012 | 5.5% |
| 2011 | 5% |
| 2010 | 4% |
| 2009 | 3.5% |
| 2008 | 1.8% |
| 2007 | 1.9% |
| 2006 | 2.1% |
| 2005 | 1.2% |
| 2004 | 0.1% |
| 2003 | 0.1% |
| 2002 | 0% |
| 2001 | 0% |
| 1990 | 0% |
Download historical JSON → · Download historical CSV → · Compare countries →
What this measure means
On World Discovery, “internet penetration rate” and “internet users” both refer to the share of individuals who used the internet, matching World Development Indicators code IT.NET.USER.ZS. It is a population-use measure; it is not the same as fixed-broadband subscriptions, mobile subscriptions, connection speed or household access.
Compare internet users by country and year → · Explore the 2024 internet-use ranking →
Internet penetration here means individuals using the internet (% of population). It is reported as % of population. The indicator definition is: Individuals who have used the Internet from any location in the last 3 months.
This series is useful for questions such as “How has internet access changed in Afghanistan?” and “What is Afghanistan’s latest internet penetration rate?” It does not estimate people missing from the official observations.
Compare Afghanistan with similar regional rates
These Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan countries have the closest latest observed internet-penetration rates in the same verified history dataset. The links are based on data proximity, not a claim of social or economic similarity.
Pakistan
57.3% in 2024. Compare its verified historical internet-penetration series with Afghanistan.
Djibouti
65.3% in 2024. Compare its verified historical internet-penetration series with Afghanistan.
Egypt, Arab Rep.
74.6% in 2024. Compare its verified historical internet-penetration series with Afghanistan.
Tunisia
76.5% in 2024. Compare its verified historical internet-penetration series with Afghanistan.
Afghanistan in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Among the 20 countries from Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan present in this verified 2024 dataset, Afghanistan ranks 20th. Its 16.1% observation is 70.7 percentage points below the regional median of 86.8%. This comparison only describes countries present in this same-year dataset.
Closest same-region observations: Pakistan (57.3%) · Djibouti (65.3%) · Egypt, Arab Rep. (74.7%).
Source and methodology
Indicator: IT.NET.USER.ZS — Individuals using the Internet (% of population).
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, surfaced through World Bank World Development Indicators (WDI), Indicators API v2. License: CC BY-4.0.
Values are kept at their official observation years. Missing years are not backfilled, averaged or interpolated. This page is a historical observation series, not a revision comparison.
Keep exploring
Countries to compare with Afghanistan
Move through the 2024 ranking or compare Afghanistan with nearby values in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan.
Zambia
17.1% in 2024 · 1 percentage points higher than Afghanistan.
Niger
15.6% in 2024 · 0.5 percentage points lower than Afghanistan.
Pakistan
57.3% in 2024 · 41.2 percentage points higher than Afghanistan.
Djibouti
65.3% in 2024 · 49.2 percentage points higher than Afghanistan.
Explore Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan → · Compare all 182 countries →