More than nine in ten people in Türkiye are now internet users, according to new official figures that show the country continuing to close the digital gap with some of the world’s most connected economies.
The 2026 Household Information Technologies Usage Survey, published by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), found that internet use among people aged 16 to 74 had risen to 92.3%, up from 90.9% in 2025. Usage was higher among men, at 94.8%, compared with 89.9% among women.
The findings put Türkiye within touching distance of the European Union average. Eurostat reported that in 2025, 94% of people aged 16 to 74 in the EU had used the internet during the previous three months, while 95% had been online at some point during the previous year.
Figures elsewhere also illustrate how firmly Türkiye has entered the ranks of highly connected countries, although differences in age groups and survey methodology mean they are not exact like-for-like comparisons.
In the United States, 96% of adults said they used the internet in 2025, according to Pew Research Center. In the UK, Office for National Statistics data showed that just 4.9% of adults were without internet access in 2025, meaning around 95% had access. By contrast, China reported 1.125 billion internet users and an internet penetration rate of 80.1% at the end of 2025.
Türkiye fares particularly strongly when it comes to digital government. TÜİK found that 76% of people had used public authorities’ websites or mobile applications or accessed government services online during the previous 12 months. Among 25 to 34-year-olds, use of Türkiye’s e-Devlet services reached 93%, although this dropped to 31.3% among those aged 65 to 74.
That 76% figure is actually higher than the EU average of 72% for people interacting with public authorities through websites or apps in 2025.
Online shopping is also continuing to expand in Türkiye. The proportion buying or ordering goods and services online rose from 55.7% in 2025 to 60% this year, although this remains some way behind the EU, where 74% of people aged 16 to 74 bought or ordered something online in 2025.
The TÜİK survey also revealed Türkiye’s favourite digital platforms. WhatsApp remains dominant, used by 90% of internet users, followed by YouTube at 77.6% and Instagram at 71.1%. Meanwhile, nearly a quarter of people — 22.9% — had undertaken some form of online learning for educational, professional or personal purposes during the previous three months.
The latest figures underline just how rapidly internet use has become near-universal across much of Türkiye, while also pointing to remaining digital divides — most notably between men and women and between younger and older generations.
