Share of the population using the Internet in Rwanda
Rwanda: Share of the population using the Internet was 31.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in Rwanda, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population using the internet in Rwanda is 31.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.1% on the previous year and up 199.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in Rwanda peaked at 31.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
Rwanda ranks 181st of 208 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1996 | 0.0% | — |
| 1997 | 0.0% | +84.6% |
| 1998 | 0.0% | +623.9% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | +469.5% |
| 2000 | 0.1% | -6.5% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +283.0% |
| 2002 | 0.3% | +21.7% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +21.9% |
| 2004 | 0.4% | +20.7% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | +29.0% |
| 2007 | 2.1% | +280.5% |
| 2008 | 4.5% | +112.7% |
| 2009 | 7.7% | +71.1% |
| 2010 | 8.0% | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 7.0% | -12.5% |
| 2012 | 8.0% | +14.6% |
| 2013 | 9.0% | +12.2% |
| 2014 | 10.6% | +17.8% |
| 2015 | 12.5% | +17.5% |
| 2016 | 14.6% | +17.5% |
| 2017 | 17.2% | +17.5% |
| 2018 | 19.2% | +11.4% |
| 2019 | 21.4% | +11.4% |
| 2020 | 23.8% | +11.4% |
| 2021 | 24.4% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 28.0% | +14.6% |
| 2023 | 28.8% | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 31.7% | +10.1% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 31.7% is above the median for low income countries, which is 19.0%, 1.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 31.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 34.5%, 92% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population using the Internet in Rwanda 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +623.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1999 | +469.5% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 2001 | +283.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 2007 | +280.5% | 0.6% | 2.1% |
| 2008 | +112.7% | 2.1% | 4.5% |
| 1997 | +84.6% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 5 |
| 2000s | 1.8% | 0.1% | 7.7% | 9 |
| 2010s | 12.7% | 7.0% | 21.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.4% | 23.8% | 31.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More science & technology data for Rwanda
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 93.2 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 0.932 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0009 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 13.29 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 517.35 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 4.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 433.51 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population using the internet in Rwanda?
- Share of the population using the internet in Rwanda was 31.7% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 31.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does Rwanda rank for share of the population using the internet?
- Rwanda ranks 181st out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 199.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population who used the Internet in the last three months.