China vs South Africa: Internet users
Internet users: 91.6% in China in 2025 and 78.4% in South Africa in 2024, by ITU estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in China, by 13.6 percentage points, or 1.17 times that in South Africa.
ChinaSouth Africa
Watch it change on the mapLatest figures
% of people · ITU
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 91.6 2025 | 50.3 | 46 of 182 |
| South Africa | 78.4 2024 | 49 | 102 of 182 |
| World | 73.6 2025 | 39.9 |
What the numbers say
- China has been higher since 2023, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2024, China ranked 46 and South Africa ranked 102 of 182 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 71.2% in 2024.
Every year
% of people · ITU
| Year | China | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 91.6 | – | 73.6 |
| 2024 | 92 | 78.4 | 71.2 |
| 2023 | 90.6 | 78.3 | 69.2 |
| 2022 | 75.6 | 78.3 | 67 |
| 2021 | 73.1 | 75 | 63.8 |
| 2020 | 70.1 | 72.1 | 60.1 |
| 2019 | 64.1 | 69.7 | 53.9 |
| 2018 | 65.4 | 62.4 | 49.4 |
| 2017 | 54.3 | 56.2 | 46.3 |
| 2016 | 53.2 | 54 | 43.6 |
| 2015 | 50.3 | 51.9 | 39.9 |
| 2014 | 47.9 | 49 | 37.4 |
| 2013 | 45.8 | 46.5 | 35.3 |
| 2012 | 42.3 | 41 | 33.3 |
| 2011 | 38.3 | 34 | 30.9 |
| 2010 | 34.3 | 24 | 28.4 |
| 2009 | 28.9 | 10 | 25.3 |
| 2008 | 22.6 | 8.4 | 22.8 |
| 2007 | 16 | 8.1 | 20.2 |
| 2006 | 10.5 | 7.6 | 17.2 |
| 2005 | 8.5 | 7.5 | 15.6 |
| 2004 | 7.3 | 8.4 | – |
| 2003 | 6.2 | 7 | – |
| 2002 | 4.6 | 6.7 | – |
| 2001 | 2.6 | 6.3 | – |
| 2000 | 1.8 | 5.3 | – |
| 1999 | 0.7 | 4.1 | – |
| 1998 | 0.2 | 2.9 | – |
| 1997 | 0 | 1.6 | – |
| 1996 | 0 | 0.8 | – |
| 1995 | 0 | 0.7 | – |
| 1994 | 0 | 0.2 | – |
| 1993 | 0 | 0.1 | – |
| 1992 | – | 0 | – |
| 1991 | – | 0 | – |
| 1990 | 0 | 0 | – |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people who used the internet in the last three months, from anywhere.
- Source: ITU, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 182 countries with a value in 2024, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time