The share of households having access to internet at home keeps growing – at the beginning of 2018 those were 81.6 % of households. Compared to 2010, the indicator has gone up by 21.8 percentage points, and compared to the year before, by 3 percentage points (according to the results of the CSB survey on use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in households). Access to the internet covers access either via fixed broadband connection or mobile broadband connection making the internet available to any of the household members.

The internet is available almost to all households with children (98.1 %), while households without children have access to the internet less frequently (76.4 %). The lowest share of households having access to the internet was recorded among households of single persons (64.9 %), while the largest in households consisting of two adults with children (98.6 %).

The number of people using the internet on regular basis (at least once a week) is rising every year. At the beginning of 2018, 81.2 % of population used internet regularly, which is 18.7 percentage points more than in 2010. Over the year, the indicator has grown by 2.7 percentage points.

There are no significant gender differences among the internet users – 80.8 % of males and 81.5 % of females used it at least once a week.

The largest share of internet users may be observed within age groups 16–24 and 25–34. In both age groups, 98.6 % of population use internet at least once a week. The lowest share of internet users was recorded within the age group 65–74 years (40.1%).

Among the regions, the largest shares of internet users live in Riga and Pierīga regions – 84.9 % and 83.0 %, respectively. In Kurzeme region, 80.5 % of population use internet regularly, while in Vidzeme region those are 78.9 %. The lowest share of population using internet was registered in Latgale region where 71.8 % of population used it at least once a week.

Just like last year, also in 2018 mobile phone or smart phone was the most popular device used to access the internet – 67 % of population using internet during the last three months.

People use internet for various activities. The most popular internet activities included sending/ receiving e-mails and internet banking (83.8 % and 79.4 % of population using internet during the last three months, respectively). The most popular internet activities among young people (aged 16–24) included participating in social networks, sending/ receiving e-mails and watching video, while among elderly population (aged 65–74) those were sending/ receiving e-mails, internet banking, as well as finding information about goods or services.

One third of internet users were buying goods or services. In 2018, just like the year before, the most popular goods bought on the internet included clothes, sports goods, as well as household goods – 63.6 % and 50.6 % of people who bought or order goods or services for private use over the internet, respectively. Females more commonly purchase clothes and sports goods, while males electronic equipment.

The use of e-government is growing, for example, 49.6 % of internet users submitted completed forms online in 2018, which is a rise of 11.1 % over the year.

Out of the population that used the internet during the last month, 6.1 % used website or application to arrange an accommodation (e.g., Airbnb, Couchsurfing, Booking.com), while 4.2 % used website or application to arrange a transport service (e.g., Taxify).

Internet activities of population in 2018
(as per cent of population that used internet during the last three months within the respective group)

	Total	of which:		of which by age group:
	Total	males	females	16–24	25–34	35–44	45–54	55–64	65–74
Sending/ receiving e-mails	83.8	81.0	86.3	87.8	92.3	88.5	81.7	72.5	67.8
Telephoning over the internet / video calls (via webcam) over the internet	62.1	57.7	65.9	78.3	71.6	61.1	56.4	49.5	49.0
Participating in social networks	73.5	68.3	78.2	94.2	90.4	77.2	62.2	53.1	49.0
Finding information about goods or services	75.7	76.4	75.1	75.6	83.6	81.2	75.5	67.0	55.8
Listening to music	47.3	50.8	44.2	83.2	65.0	45.9	34.4	24.6	15.4
Watching internet-streamed TV from TV broadcasters	18.7	20.3	17.3	27.4	23.4	16.3	16.2	13.8	12.3
Watching video on demand from commercial services	15.2	18.0	12.8	27.5	22.5	12.5	10.9	9.1	3.2
Watching video content from sharing services	65.4	69.3	62.0	87.3	80.1	68.8	58.8	45.2	32.8
Playing or downloading games	26.2	31.8	21.2	54.0	30.6	22.5	19.5	15.4	13.7
Seeking health-related information	44.1	31.3	55.3	31.8	48.3	45.3	44.3	44.5	48.9
Making an appointment with a practitioner via a website or application	10.1	4.9	14.6	6.2	15.1	9.8	9.8	8.4	7.3
Selling of goods or services	11.4	12.6	10.4	17.8	17.1	12.0	8.2	5.6	2.5
Internet banking	79.4	76.6	81.8	74.7	88.3	83.6	78.6	72.7	65.4

The survey on ICT usage in households was conducted at the beginning of 2018 and covered 5914 people aged 16–74.

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366621, +371 27880666

More information on data:
Pēteris Nalivaiko
Trade and Services Statistics Section
E-mail: Peteris.Nalivaiko@csb.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366869

ICT in households

KEY INDICATORS

Access to Internet by householdsGEK01

E-commerce purchasesGEK02

PUBLICATIONS

ICT usage habits of individuals in 2024, in LatvianPEK2401

Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Households in 2018 (only in Latvian)P193501

Press releases

REK2401

The most popular purchases over the internet – clothes, shoes and accessories

REK2301

91.4 % of population use internet on a regular basis

REK2201

The share of regular Internet users has reached 90 %