According to a recent study, nearly three-quarters of the total Arab population now use the internet, with approximately 348 million users out of a total population of 496 million, equating to 70.2%. Additionally, 228 million Arabs, or 46% of the population, are active social media users.
The study, conducted by Galal & Karawi Management Consulting in collaboration with Orient Planet Research, used data from sources such as DataReportal, GSMA Intelligence, Semrush, Sky, and Statista. Among Arab countries, Egypt leads with the most internet users, totaling 50.7 million, followed by Iraq with 34.4 million and Saudi Arabia with 34.1 million. Other top countries include Morocco with 21.3 million users and the UAE with 11.3 million.
When it comes to social media, TikTok has emerged as the most popular platform across the Gulf region. It leads in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and is also widely used in Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Mauritania, and Somalia. In contrast, Facebook remains the favorite in North African countries like Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, as well as in Palestine and the Comoros.
YouTube is the dominant platform in Egypt, Jordan, and Oman, while Snapchat remains particularly popular in Saudi Arabia, where it has around 24.7 million users. LinkedIn also sees high usage in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The study also noted that about 62.8% of the Arab population is under the age of 35, which significantly influences digital engagement trends. In comparison to global social media usage, platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, and TikTok dominate worldwide, though Instagram does not perform as strongly among Arab users.
This data underscores the importance of understanding regional preferences when developing digital campaigns and strategies.
