Number of people using the Internet in Iran
Iran: Number of people using the Internet was 78.14 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of people using the Internet in Iran, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people using the internet in Iran is 78.14 million people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and up 143.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people using the internet in Iran peaked at 78.14 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1990.
That places Iran 14th out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people using the Internet in Iran, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 people | — |
| 1994 | 251 people | — |
| 1995 | 2,600 people | +935.9% |
| 1996 | 9,935 people | +282.1% |
| 1997 | 29,783 people | +199.8% |
| 1998 | 64,391 people | +116.2% |
| 1999 | 248,038 people | +285.2% |
| 2000 | 620,476 people | +150.2% |
| 2001 | 1.00 million people | +61.4% |
| 2002 | 3.15 million people | +214.3% |
| 2003 | 4.77 million people | +51.6% |
| 2004 | 5.26 million people | +10.4% |
| 2005 | 5.82 million people | +10.6% |
| 2006 | 6.43 million people | +10.5% |
| 2007 | 7.06 million people | +9.9% |
| 2008 | 9.08 million people | +28.5% |
| 2009 | 10.55 million people | +16.2% |
| 2010 | 12.31 million people | +16.7% |
| 2011 | 14.89 million people | +21.0% |
| 2012 | 18.04 million people | +21.1% |
| 2013 | 24.08 million people | +33.5% |
| 2014 | 32.07 million people | +33.2% |
| 2015 | 37.46 million people | +16.8% |
| 2016 | 44.61 million people | +19.1% |
| 2017 | 54.45 million people | +22.1% |
| 2018 | 60.46 million people | +11.0% |
| 2019 | 63.07 million people | +4.3% |
| 2020 | 66.29 million people | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 69.52 million people | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 73.16 million people | +5.2% |
| 2023 | 75.85 million people | +3.7% |
| 2024 | 78.14 million people | +3.0% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 78.14 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 4.93 million people, 15.8× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Iran's 78.14 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6.86 million people, 11.4× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people using the Internet in Iran changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +935.9% | 251 people | 2,600 people |
| 1999 | +285.2% | 64,391 people | 248,038 people |
| 1996 | +282.1% | 2,600 people | 9,935 people |
| 2002 | +214.3% | 1.00 million people | 3.15 million people |
| 1997 | +199.8% | 9,935 people | 29,783 people |
| 2000 | +150.2% | 248,038 people | 620,476 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 50,714 people | 0 people | 248,038 people | 7 |
| 2000s | 5.37 million people | 620,476 people | 10.55 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.14 million people | 12.31 million people | 63.07 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.59 million people | 66.29 million people | 78.14 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More science & technology data for Iran
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 174.07 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.74 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 159.39 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 92.86 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.68 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.79 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 55,085 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0006 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people using the internet in Iran?
- Number of people using the internet in Iran was 78.14 million people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi.
- What is the highest number of people using the internet recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 78.14 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of people using the internet recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1990.
- How does Iran rank for number of people using the internet?
- Iran ranks 14th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people using the internet rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 143.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi, published as part of Number of people using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 32 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people who used the Internet in the last three months.