On the basis of the results of the ad hoc survey carried out by the Statistical Service of Cyprus, more than nine out of ten individuals use the internet at least once a week (94,4%). Internet use decreases with age: starting from 99,9% for the 16-24 age group, internet use drops to 83,3% for the 55-74 age group. Persons with high educational attainment level use the internet more frequently (99,6%) than persons with low educational attainment level (76,8%) (Figure 1).
The most popular internet activities by individuals during the first quarter of 2024 were instant messaging via Skype, Messenger, WhatsApp and Viber (97,3%), making calls over the internet (97,2%), finding information about goods or services (94,3%), participating in social networks like Facebook and Twitter (91,8%) and watching video content from sharing services (91,3%) (Table 1).
Of the persons that used the internet in the first quarter of 2024, 10,3% used online learning material other than a complete online course, 10,0% had an online course and 9,7% communicated with educators or learners using audio or video online tools (Table 1).
e-Government
During the period April 2023-March 2024, 70,6% of individuals aged 16-74 years obtained information from public authorities online, 54,0% accessed information stored about them by public authorities or public services and 22,8% accessed information from public databases or registers.
e-Commerce
The proportion of individuals aged 16-74 years old placing online orders during the first quarter of 2024 increased significantly to 63,6% compared to 55,3% in the corresponding period of 2023 (Figure 2).
The most popular categories of goods/services ordered online were the following: clothes (including sport clothing), shoes or accessories (85,3%), deliveries or pick up from restaurants, fast-food chains (78,8%), computers, mobile phones or accessories (53,4%) and cosmetics, beauty or wellness products (33,4%).
Among the people who bought or ordered goods or services for private use in the first quarter of 2024, 46,5% bought accommodation services, 45,5% bought transport services and 33,2% bought tickets to events (Table 2).
| Table 1 | ||||
| Internet Use |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
| Households with Internet Access (%) |
93,4 |
94,0 |
92,3 |
94,9 |
| Individuals that Used the Internet (during the 1st quarter of the year)
(% on total individuals aged 16-74) |
90,8 |
89,6 |
91,2 |
94,4 |
| Most Popular Internet Activities (% on total individuals aged 16-74 that used the internet during the 1st quarter of the year) | ||||
| Using instant messaging |
94,3 |
91,9 |
95,9 |
97,3 |
| Telephoning over the internet/video calls (via webcam) over the internet |
94,2 |
91,4 |
95,4 |
97,2 |
| Finding information about goods and services |
88,8 |
78,4 |
89,1 |
94,3 |
| Participation in social networks |
86,6 |
87,0 |
90,5 |
91,8 |
| Watching video content from sharing services |
83,3 |
88,6 |
… |
91,3 |
| Learning Activities over the Internet
(% on total individuals aged 16-74 that used the internet during the 1st quarter of the year) |
|
|
|
|
| Online material |
19,0 |
17,8 |
14,8 |
10,3 |
| Online course |
21,7 |
17,7 |
13,3 |
10,0 |
| Communication with instructors or students |
… |
17,0 |
10,9 |
9,7 |
| … Data not available | ||||
| Table 2 | ||||
| e-Commerce |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
| Purchases / Orders of Goods and Services over the Internet (during the 1st quarter of the year)
(% on total individuals aged 16-74 that used the internet) |
37,0 |
55,3 |
63,6 |
|
| Services Bought over the Internet (% on total individuals aged 16-74 that ordered goods or services over the internet during the 1st quarter of the year) | ||||
| Accommodation services |
|
… |
… |
46,5 |
| Transport services from enterprises |
|
… |
… |
45,5 |
| Tickets to events |
|
… |
… |
33,2 |
| … Data not available | ||||