While the world scrolls nonstop, millions of people remain outside the digital map — entirely offline.
A fresh April 2025 analysis by We Are Social and Meltwater revealed the scale, showing that India alone has over 600 million people still not using the internet. That’s more than the entire population of Europe combined. Even with growing telecom reach, India’s offline share stood around 41 percent. China follows far behind with 303 million unconnected people, though its relative disconnection rate is only about 21 percent, thanks to stronger urban digital infrastructure. Pakistan ranks third in terms of offline population, with over 138 million individuals still cut off from the web, which forms a shocking 54 percent of its entire population.
In absolute terms, Nigeria and Ethiopia also show worrying figures. Nigeria has 128 million people not online, while Ethiopia, with fewer total people, still sees 105 million citizens offline — making up nearly four-fifths of the country. In Bangladesh, the digital gap touches over 93 million people, representing more than half of its population. The Democratic Republic of the Congo trails behind that, but 69 percent of its people still remain without digital access. Indonesia, despite major strides, still holds over 61 million people offline, while Tanzania and Uganda show rates near or above 70 percent, placing them among the highest in percentage terms.
When the data is arranged by proportion of population rather than total heads, the map shifts. North Korea, not surprisingly, leads with over 99 percent of its population offline, although exact figures remain blocked or hidden from public view. After that, the pattern sharpens across smaller African nations. Burundi and Chad report over 86 percent of citizens without internet. In Central African Republic and South Sudan, the unconnected population hits 84 percent. Yemen, where conflict has strained infrastructure, leaves over 34 million people offline, forming 82 percent of its total population. Malawi, Mozambique, Eritrea, and Madagascar all report digital disconnection rates above 79 percent, despite global shifts toward mobile-first solutions.
Digital Isolation in 2025: Top Countries With the Lowest Internet Penetration Rates:
Some countries appear in both categories — large numbers and high percentages — such as Ethiopia and Bangladesh. But others offer contrast. Indonesia has more unconnected people than Eritrea, but its population size masks the percentage gap. Likewise, Uganda and Tanzania report smaller populations, yet their percentage of people offline remains troublingly high. In nations like Mozambique and Madagascar, both indicators rank poorly, highlighting structural issues that go deeper than affordability or access.
Experts usually link high disconnection rates to a mix of economic limitations, infrastructure gaps, and sometimes political restrictions. In many cases, education, employment, and healthcare are all tied to basic internet access. While mobile internet growth has shifted the dynamic in cities, rural areas continue to fall behind. The digital divide, though shrinking in global averages, is still sharply visible when broken down by country.
These figures come from multiple sources including the ITU, GSMA Intelligence, and official national reporting. While they reflect the most recent updates available, regional data gaps or late publications may cause slight shifts. Even so, the April 2025 picture confirms a truth the web often forgets — not everyone is online, and progress is far from evenly spread.
Source: Datareportal
Read next:
• Generative AI Platforms See Remarkable Engagement, With Users Spending 6+ Minutes per Session
• Study Reveals How Google’s AI Overviews Change Search Behavior and User Trust
A fresh April 2025 analysis by We Are Social and Meltwater revealed the scale, showing that India alone has over 600 million people still not using the internet. That’s more than the entire population of Europe combined. Even with growing telecom reach, India’s offline share stood around 41 percent. China follows far behind with 303 million unconnected people, though its relative disconnection rate is only about 21 percent, thanks to stronger urban digital infrastructure. Pakistan ranks third in terms of offline population, with over 138 million individuals still cut off from the web, which forms a shocking 54 percent of its entire population.
| Location | Unconnected Individuals | % of Pop. Offline |
|---|---|---|
| India | 606,997,000 | 41.60% |
| China | 303,220,000 | 21.40% |
| Pakistan | 138,391,000 | 54.40% |
| Nigeria | 128,337,000 | 54.30% |
| Ethiopia | 105,472,000 | 78.40% |
| Bangladesh | 93,251,000 | 53.20% |
| Dem. Rep. of the Congo | 77,738,000 | 69.50% |
| Indonesia | 61,911,000 | 21.70% |
| Tanzania | 49,685,000 | 70.90% |
| Uganda | 36,647,000 | 71.80% |
In absolute terms, Nigeria and Ethiopia also show worrying figures. Nigeria has 128 million people not online, while Ethiopia, with fewer total people, still sees 105 million citizens offline — making up nearly four-fifths of the country. In Bangladesh, the digital gap touches over 93 million people, representing more than half of its population. The Democratic Republic of the Congo trails behind that, but 69 percent of its people still remain without digital access. Indonesia, despite major strides, still holds over 61 million people offline, while Tanzania and Uganda show rates near or above 70 percent, placing them among the highest in percentage terms.
When the data is arranged by proportion of population rather than total heads, the map shifts. North Korea, not surprisingly, leads with over 99 percent of its population offline, although exact figures remain blocked or hidden from public view. After that, the pattern sharpens across smaller African nations. Burundi and Chad report over 86 percent of citizens without internet. In Central African Republic and South Sudan, the unconnected population hits 84 percent. Yemen, where conflict has strained infrastructure, leaves over 34 million people offline, forming 82 percent of its total population. Malawi, Mozambique, Eritrea, and Madagascar all report digital disconnection rates above 79 percent, despite global shifts toward mobile-first solutions.
Digital Isolation in 2025: Top Countries With the Lowest Internet Penetration Rates:
| Location | % of Pop. Offline | Unconnected Individuals |
|---|---|---|
| North Korea | >99% | [Blocked] |
| Burundi | 87.20% | 12,473,000 |
| Chad | 86.80% | 18,115,000 |
| Central African Republic | 84.20% | 4,604,000 |
| South Sudan | 84.10% | 10,195,000 |
| Yemen | 82.30% | 34,136,000 |
| Malawi | 82.00% | 18,104,000 |
| Mozambique | 80.20% | 28,361,000 |
| Eritrea | 80.00% | 2,870,000 |
| Madagascar | 79.60% | 25,917,000 |
Some countries appear in both categories — large numbers and high percentages — such as Ethiopia and Bangladesh. But others offer contrast. Indonesia has more unconnected people than Eritrea, but its population size masks the percentage gap. Likewise, Uganda and Tanzania report smaller populations, yet their percentage of people offline remains troublingly high. In nations like Mozambique and Madagascar, both indicators rank poorly, highlighting structural issues that go deeper than affordability or access.
Experts usually link high disconnection rates to a mix of economic limitations, infrastructure gaps, and sometimes political restrictions. In many cases, education, employment, and healthcare are all tied to basic internet access. While mobile internet growth has shifted the dynamic in cities, rural areas continue to fall behind. The digital divide, though shrinking in global averages, is still sharply visible when broken down by country.
These figures come from multiple sources including the ITU, GSMA Intelligence, and official national reporting. While they reflect the most recent updates available, regional data gaps or late publications may cause slight shifts. Even so, the April 2025 picture confirms a truth the web often forgets — not everyone is online, and progress is far from evenly spread.
Source: Datareportal
Read next:
• Generative AI Platforms See Remarkable Engagement, With Users Spending 6+ Minutes per Session
• Study Reveals How Google’s AI Overviews Change Search Behavior and User Trust
