The Countries With the Most People Still Offline

A new Digital 2026 Global Overview Report reveals that despite rapid expansion of internet adoption worldwide, hundreds of millions of people remain disconnected, with the largest offline populations concentrated in fast-growing countries where connectivity struggles to keep pace.

India leads with more than 440 million offline individuals—30% of its population—while Pakistan, Nigeria, and Bangladesh each have more than half their citizens without internet access.

Huge populations also keep China and Indonesia high on the list in absolute numbers, despite far lower offline rates.

Sub-Saharan Africa shows the deepest divide, with Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo all facing offline shares above 69%.

The analysis underscores how affordability, infrastructure gaps, digital literacy, and geography continue to shape global inequality, creating an uneven digital landscape that limits economic growth and access to information for vast segments of the world.