List of Top 10 Countries with the Highest Internet Speeds

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Internet Speeds: The country with the highest internet speed is Monaco with the highest broadband speed of 261.8 Mbps. The modern world is entirely dependent on internet access which has resulted in the creation of entire industries and sectors revolving all around the internet. This is why countries across the world have spent significant resources in improving their internet infrastructure allowing global internet penetration to jump from 5% in 2009 to over 60% in 2021.

Online companies hold a major fraction of industries all over the world. Without access to the internet companies such as Amazon and Flipkart wouldn’t have been the size they are today.

This article provides you with the list of the top 10 countries with the highest internet speeds, along with mobile as well as broadband speed (in Mbps).

List of Countries with Highest Internet Speeds

The table below lists the countries with the highest internet speeds:

Country	Mobile Speed (Mbps)	Rank	Contribution to GDP
United Arab Emirates	269.41	First	Around 19.4%
Qatar	206.80	Second	Around 1.9%
Kuwait	191.74	Third	Around 0.84%
China	164.14	Fourth	Around 42%
Macau	155.75	Fifth	Around 18.2%
Norway	146.02	Sixth	Around 6.8%
South Korea	145.25	Seventh	Around 13%
Denmark	143.63	Eighth	Around 9.8%
Bulgaria	142.07	Ninth	Around 4.3%

Country	Broadband speed (Mbps)	Rank
Monaco	261.8	First
Singapore	255.83	Second
Hong Kong	254.70	Third
Romania	232.17	Fourth
Switzerland	229.96	Fifth
Denmark	227.91	Sixth
Thailand	225.17	Seventh
Chile	217.60	Eighth
France	214.04	Ninth
South Korea	212.57	Tenth

Top 10 Countries with Highest Internet Speeds

Generally wealthier nations have the capacity to channel substantial financial resources to enhance their digital infrastructure.  Ultimately the factors contributing to divergent average internet speeds may be infrastructure, investment and cost of internet infrastructure, that is, countries with good investment, infrastructure tend to be the countries with highest internet speed.

Tenth Country with the Highest Internet Speed – France

The France ICT market size in 2022 was about US$ 113.86 billion, which is expected to reach US$ 123.69 billion in 2024.

France being one of the country in the list of countries with highest internet speed (broadband), major reasons for the same are:

• Government investment in optical fibres: The ambitious plan called France Très Haut Dèbit is aiming to provide fibre optic access to all French citizens by 2025.
• Public-private  partnership: French government has partnered with private companies to finance and build the fibre optic infrastructure.

Ninth Country with the Highest Internet Speed – Bulgaria

Bulgaria’s internet speed has two sides to the story:

• Mobile speeds are fast: Bulgaria ranks 15th  in the world for mobile internet speed, with an average download speed of around 102 Mbps (as of November 2022).
• Fixed broadband is slower: Fixed internet connections in Bulgaria are slower than mobile, averaging around 68 Mbps (as of November 2022). This puts Bulgaria at 67th in the world for fixed broadband speeds.

There are much efforts in the country to improve the internet speed:

• Fibre optic rollout: Much of the companies are investing in fibre optics as they provide greater speed than the copper fibres.
• Government initiatives: The Bulgarian government has set goals for increased internet speeds and broader coverage throughout the country.

Eighth Country with the Highest Internet Speed – Denmark

Denmark is known for its high internet speeds. It holds a place in the list of the countries with the highest speed. The Denmark ICT market was valued at US$15.62 billion in 2022 and will grow at compounded annual growth rate of 9.14%.There are many reasons for the same:

• Fibre optic infrastructure: A major reason behind Denmark’s fast internet is the extensive deployment of fibre optic cables. This technology allows for significantly faster data compared to traditional copper wires.
• Government Initiatives: The Danish government has historically prioritised internet access and development. Policies have encouraged infrastructure investment and competition among internet service providers (ISPs).
• Public-Private Partnerships: Regional power companies have collaborated with private entities to build and maintain the fibre optic network. This collaboration has helped spread the cost and accelerate development.
• Focus on Broadband Access: Denmark has a long-standing national goal of ensuring broad internet access for all citizens. This commitment has driven investment in infrastructure across rural and urban areas
• Regulation for Competition: The government regulates the ISP market to promote competition and prevent monopolies. This ensures consumers have access to a variety of service options and competitive pricing.

Seventh Country with the Highest Internet Speed – South Korea

South Korea is among the list of countries with highest internet speed. The reasons could be:

• Government planning: Back in 1990, the Korean government decided that high- speed, affordable internet access was crucial for country’s development.
• They created a national plan to invest in infrastructure and promote a healthy competition between internet service providers
• Focus on fibre optics: Heavy investment was made for fibre optic networks which transmit data using light pulses and offer much faster speed than normal copper fibres.
• Densely populated area: A large portion of people live in apartments and buildings which makes it much easier to install fibres.
• The South Korea ICT market has a value of US$ 59.33 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at the rate of 9.61%.

Sixth Country with the Highest Internet Speed – Norway

Norway actually holds one of the positions in the list of the countries with highest internet speed. According to Speedtest Global Index Norway has an average mobile download speed of around 200Mbps. Reasons for the same are as follows:

• Government focuses on high speed internet, and funding in this area.
• Widespread investment in fibre optic cables
• Competition between providers of the internet.

Fifth Country with the Highest Internet Speed – Macau

Macau possess high internet speeds, ranking among the top countries globally. The reasons behind Macau being one the countries with highest internet speed:

• Fibre optic infrastructure: Macau has a high penetration of fibre optic cables, exceeding 98% according to regulators. Fibre offers relatively faster and more reliable internet compared to traditional copper fibres.
• Competition: The presence of multiple ISPs in Macau fosters competition.

Fourth Country with the Highest Internet Speed – China

China is one of the countries with the highest internet speed. China recently launched a high speed internet connection of speed 1.2 terabits per second. This translates to downloading a high definition movie under a second, some possible reasons may be:

• Government focus: China prioritises technological development and internet infrastructure is likely a contributing factor.
• Investment: Significant investment in research and development.
• Competition: Having multiple internet service providers 
• The china ICT market was valued at US$ 544.22 billion in 2022 and will grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 12.13% to reach US$964.47 billion by 2027.

Third Country with the Highest Internet Speed – Kuwait

Kuwait exhibits impressive internet speed ranking 3rd in the countries with highest internet speed and 26th for broadband speed. Reasons for Kuwait’s fast internet speed:

• Government investment: The Kuwaiti government has prioritised developing and upgrading the country’s telecommunication infrastructure. This involves investment in fibre optic networks.
• Competition among ISPs: Kuwait has many service providers competing for customers. Thus the providers offer faster speeds to attract customers.
• Focus on mobile technology: Kuwait has a high mobile phone penetration rate, and there’s been a strong focus on expanding mobile internet networks.

Second Country with the Highest Internet Speed – Qatar

Qatar being one of the countries having highest internet speed, this is due to the attempts made by the government towards that:

• Qatar e government is based on four strategies as Qatar national vision 2030, National ICT plan 2015 and National Broadband plan.
• The Qatar ICT market size was at US$ 11.82 billion in 2022 and will grow at a compounded annual growth rate(CAGR) of 15.6%.
• Focus on technological advancement: Qatar has a national vision focused on becoming a technologically advanced nation, and high speed data is seen as a precursor for that.
• The 5G adoption plan of Qatar has played a major role in high speed connection.

Top Country with the Highest Internet Speed – United Arab Emirates

There are a couple of reasons why the United Arab states is one of the countries with the highest internet speed:

• Government investment: The UAE government has prioritised developing its technological infrastructure, including investing heavily in fibre optic networks and 5G technology. This focus on digital transformation has laid the groundwork for fast and reliable mobile networks.
• Competition between providers: The UAE has two main telecom operators, Etisalat and Du. This competition pushes both the companies to offer the best possible mobile internet speeds and services to attract customers.

The UAE ranked first in the world for mobile internet speeds in 2024, according to Speedtest Global Index. Etisalat leads in download speed, Du holds the crown for upload speeds.

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Conclusion – Top 10 Countries with the Highest Internet Speeds

All over the globe there is a varying range of speeds of internet Singapore, UAE, Macau holding the place in the list of countries with highest internet speed while countries such as Afghanistan, Yemen, and Algeria having the slowest network speed. The internet and network penetration in any country is based on the investment of the country’s government towards the field of network. In the upcoming world, countries having more ISPs and spending more on network would be the leading holders in online businesses. In more or less time a world would be created with internet access all across the world.

FAQs on Top 10 Countries with the Highest Internet Speeds

What country has the fastest internet speed in the world?

Monaco holds the record for the fastest broadband internet speed at 261.8 Mbps. However, for mobile internet, the United Arab Emirates leads with an impressive speed of 269.41 Mbps.

How do countries achieve high internet speeds?

High internet speeds are achieved through substantial government investment in digital infrastructure, particularly in fiber optic and 5G technologies, public-private partnerships to expand network access, competition among ISPs to offer superior services, and a focus on technological innovation.

Why is high internet speed important for a country?

High internet speed is crucial for a country’s economic development, innovation, and global competitiveness. It supports online businesses, enhances educational and research capabilities, facilitates efficient communication, and provides access to digital services for citizens, thus improving overall quality of life.

Which Asian country has the highest internet speed?

Singapore is noted for having one of the highest broadband internet speeds in Asia and globally, with an average speed of 255.83 Mbps. This reflects the country’s advanced digital infrastructure and commitment to maintaining a leading position in technological innovation.

How does the internet speed in the United States compare to other countries?

While the United States has significantly improved its internet speeds over the years, it generally does not rank at the very top globally, especially when compared to countries like Monaco, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. Factors such as vast geographical area and varied infrastructure investments across states contribute to this discrepancy.

What impact does internet speed have on online businesses?

Internet speed has a profound impact on online businesses by affecting website loading times, the efficiency of cloud-based services, and the quality of streaming services. Higher speeds lead to better customer experiences, increased productivity, and the possibility of implementing advanced technologies such as AI and big data analytics.