Urban areas concentrate infrastructure investment, including internet connectivity. Countries with higher urbanization rates tend to have better internet access — but the relationship reveals interesting outliers. Some highly urbanized developing nations lag in connectivity, while some rural-leaning countries have invested in nationwide digital infrastructure.
Urban Population (%) vs Internet Users (%)
209 countries with available data
Correlation (r)
0.644
Moderate positive
Countries
209
with both indicators
Avg Urban Population
62%
global average
Avg Internet Users
71%
global average
Key Insight
Urbanization and internet access are moderately correlated, but the spread is wide. Small, wealthy nations like Qatar and UAE are outliers with near-100% on both measures.
Regional Averages
| Region | Countries | Avg Urban Population | Avg Internet Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 54 | 48% | 43% |
| Asia | 48 | 64% | 76% |
| Europe | 47 | 72% | 92% |
| Americas | 43 | 69% | 78% |
| Oceania | 17 | 57% | 65% |