Number of people using the Internet in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Number of people using the Internet was 10.99 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of people using the Internet in United Arab Emirates, 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
In 2024, number of people using the internet in United Arab Emirates stood at 10.99 million people. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.8% on the previous year and up 50.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people using the internet in United Arab Emirates peaked at 10.99 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1990.
That places United Arab Emirates 60th out of 208 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people using the Internet in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 people | — |
| 1995 | 2,508 people | — |
| 1996 | 9,741 people | +288.4% |
| 1997 | 92,974 people | +854.5% |
| 1998 | 210,093 people | +126.0% |
| 1999 | 486,635 people | +131.6% |
| 2000 | 825,368 people | +69.6% |
| 2001 | 978,252 people | +18.5% |
| 2002 | 1.12 million people | +14.5% |
| 2003 | 1.24 million people | +10.3% |
| 2004 | 1.33 million people | +8.0% |
| 2005 | 1.87 million people | +39.8% |
| 2006 | 2.60 million people | +39.6% |
| 2007 | 3.43 million people | +31.7% |
| 2008 | 3.97 million people | +15.7% |
| 2009 | 4.29 million people | +8.1% |
| 2010 | 4.67 million people | +8.8% |
| 2011 | 5.54 million people | +18.6% |
| 2012 | 6.28 million people | +13.4% |
| 2013 | 6.77 million people | +7.8% |
| 2014 | 7.29 million people | +7.6% |
| 2015 | 7.70 million people | +5.6% |
| 2016 | 8.10 million people | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 8.75 million people | +8.0% |
| 2018 | 9.20 million people | +5.2% |
| 2019 | 9.37 million people | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 9.40 million people | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 9.58 million people | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 10.07 million people | +5.2% |
| 2023 | 10.48 million people | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 10.99 million people | +4.8% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 10.99 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.26 million people, 3.4× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 10.99 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 6.86 million people, 1.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people using the Internet in United Arab Emirates 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +854.5% | 9,741 people | 92,974 people |
| 1996 | +288.4% | 2,508 people | 9,741 people |
| 1999 | +131.6% | 210,093 people | 486,635 people |
| 1998 | +126.0% | 92,974 people | 210,093 people |
| 2000 | +69.6% | 486,635 people | 825,368 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 133,659 people | 0 people | 486,635 people | 6 |
| 2000s | 2.17 million people | 825,368 people | 4.29 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.37 million people | 4.67 million people | 9.37 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.10 million people | 9.40 million people | 10.99 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
More science & technology data for United Arab Emirates
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 203.21 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 2.04 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 22.41 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 298.83 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 1.9 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.58 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 3,320 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 3,320 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people using the internet in United Arab Emirates?
- Number of people using the internet in United Arab Emirates was 10.99 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 10.99 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of people using the internet recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1990.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for number of people using the internet?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 60th out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people using the internet rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 50.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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.
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About this data
Number of people who used the Internet in the last three months.