Share of the population using the Internet in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Share of the population using the Internet was 100.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of the population using the Internet in United Arab Emirates, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of population.
Analysis
In 2024, share of the population using the internet in United Arab Emirates stood at 100.0%. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of up 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population using the internet in United Arab Emirates peaked at 100.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1990.
United Arab Emirates ranks 1st of 208 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of the population using the Internet in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0% | — |
| 1995 | 0.1% | — |
| 1996 | 0.4% | +264.1% |
| 1997 | 3.3% | +780.0% |
| 1998 | 6.9% | +109.4% |
| 1999 | 14.9% | +115.6% |
| 2000 | 23.6% | +58.6% |
| 2001 | 26.3% | +11.2% |
| 2002 | 28.3% | +7.8% |
| 2003 | 29.5% | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 30.1% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 40.0% | +32.8% |
| 2006 | 52.0% | +30.0% |
| 2007 | 61.0% | +17.3% |
| 2008 | 63.0% | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 64.0% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 68.0% | +6.2% |
| 2011 | 78.0% | +14.7% |
| 2012 | 85.0% | +9.0% |
| 2013 | 88.0% | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 90.4% | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 90.5% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 90.6% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 94.8% | +4.7% |
| 2018 | 98.5% | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 99.2% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 100.0% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's 100.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 93.1%, 1.1× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's 100.0% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 85.3%, 1.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population 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 | +780.0% | 0.4% | 3.3% |
| 1996 | +264.1% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| 1999 | +115.6% | 6.9% | 14.9% |
| 1998 | +109.4% | 3.3% | 6.9% |
| 2000 | +58.6% | 14.9% | 23.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.3% | 0.0% | 14.9% | 6 |
| 2000s | 41.8% | 23.6% | 64.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 88.3% | 68.0% | 99.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 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 share of the population using the internet in United Arab Emirates?
- Share of the population using the internet in United Arab Emirates was 100.0% in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population using the internet recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of the population using the internet recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1990.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for share of the population using the internet?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 1st out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population using the internet rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.6%. 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) – with major 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.