91.4 % of population use internet on a regular basis

According to the annual survey on use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in households carried out by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB), share of households with internet in 2023 has reached 93.1 %¹. For comparison, 10 years ago 71.6 % of households had access to internet.

As compared to 2022, internet access in households has increased by 1.7 percentage points. Mostly internet is available in Pierīga and Riga region – in 95.2 % and 94.3 % of households, respectively, in turn in Latgale region this indicator is lower – 86.2 %. Internet is available in 93.9 % of urban households (compared to 2022, a rise of 1.1 percentage points), and 90.3 % in rural households (compared to 2022, a drop of 2.3 percentage points). Also, mostly households with children have access to internet – 99.4 %, while only 92.4 % of households without children have access to internet.

In 2023, as compared to 2022, the share of regular internet users, i.e. use internet at least once a week, has increased by 1.4 percentage points, reaching 91.4 %. In 10 years this is an increase of 20.2 percentage points. The largest share of regular internet users is among population with higher education (97.8 %), while among population with secondary education – 88.7 %, but among population with basic education – 83.4 %.

The largest share of regular internet users is in Pierīga (93.9 %), while in Kurzeme (93.1 %), Riga (93.0 %), Zemgale (91.0 %), Vidzeme it comprises 89.0 %, but in Latgale – 83.3 %. Urban population use internet more often (92.6 %) than urban population (87.9 %).

In age group 16 – 24 years old share of regular internet users has reached 100.0 % of young people, in age group 25 – 54 years – 97.6 %, but in age group 55 – 74 years – 80.6 % of population.

Population use the internet for various activities. Most popular of them are internet banking and sending/receiving e-mails, which is used by 83.6 % and 81.5 % of population, but sending messages in texting apps is used by 79.2 % of population. Women search online for health-related topics more often than men (64.4 % and 39.5 %, respectively).

Differences can also be observed in the breakdown by education level – people with higher education are more likely to read online news sites/newspapers/news magazines (83.6 %), search online for health-related topics (69.7 %), as well as engage in online consultations, sign or vote on citizenship or political initiatives (22.8 %), while people with basic education do that less often – 47.6 %, 27.0 %, 5.4 %, respectively.

Differences in use of internet can also be observed in age groups. Most popular activities of 16– 24 years old young people include sending messages in texting apps (95 %), participating in social networks (93.6 %), while activities of 65– 74 years old seniors include internet banking (53.9 %), reading online news sites/newspapers/news magazines (53.4 %).

In survey of 2023 population were asked about online learning activities. Almost a fourth of population or 24.0 % use online teaching materials (e.g., educational videos, webinars, electronic textbooks, etc.). 17.2 % of population communicate with teachers, lecturers or pupils, students online using audiovisual tools (e.g., Zoom, MS Teams, etc.). 12.8 % of population do an online course (e.g., via coursera.org, openmind.lv etc.).

Opportunity to study online are mostly used by 16–24 years old young people – 54.3 % use online teaching materials, 51.1 % communicate with teachers, lecturers or other pupils, students online.

51.9 % of population indicated that they accessed information that is being stored on them by public authorities (e.g., Register of Natural persons, www.latvija.lv, www.e-veseliba.lv), 36.5 % of population made an appointment or reservation via websites or applications of public authorities, in turn 27.3 % downloaded or printed forms for personal purposes from public authorities. More than a half (54.1 %) of population indicated that they have submitted a tax return themselves, while 15.3 % received help from another person to do it.

In survey of 2023 a question on the use of electronic identification was asked for the first time. 70.1 % of population have used electronic identification during the last 12 months (e.g., eID, eParaksts, authentication through internet banking, etc.), to connect to online services. Mostly population use electronic identification for services offered by private service providers (57.2 %), slightly less for services provided by public authorities in Latvia (56.9 %) and the least (7.2 %) to services provided by public authorities in other European countries.

The share of population who bought goods or services on the internet has almost doubled during the period of 10 years – from 31.7 % in 2013 to 62.0 % in 2023. The changes are minimal during the last year – a rise of 0.3 percentage points.

Mostly population² used internet to purchase clothes, shoes or accessories (56.2 %), purchase electrical equipment or household appliances (23.6 %), deliver food from restaurants or other catering enterprises (22.9 %), cosmetics, beauty products (22.4 %).

Females purchase clothes, shoes or accessories more often than males (67.0 % and 41.7 %, respectively) and cosmetics, beauty products (33.1 % and 8 %, respectively), while males buy electrical equipment or household appliances more often than females (31.0 % and 18.1 %, respectively) and computers, tablet computers or mobile phones and accessories (24.6 % and 11.7 %, respectively).

Both 16–24 years old young people and 65–74 years old seniors used internet the most to purchase clothes, shoes or accessories (62.4 % and 27.7 %, respectively), in turn second most often purchase made by young people (25.8 %) was delivery of food from restaurants or other catering enterprises, while for seniors that was electrical equipment or household appliances (22.0 %).

In 2023 the survey included questions on fake news on the internet. Slightly more than a half (50.4 %) of internet users³ indicated that they have come across information or contents on websites or social networks they consider false or ambiguous. Of them 34.0 % indicated that they verified the truth of the information or contents, but majority of them did not do that (66.0 %). 91.7 % of population having verified the truth of the information or contents, mainly used other websites for that, 31.6 % indicated that to find out the truth they discussed the topic with others in real life, but 19.4 % followed internet discussions on the information or contents found. The main reason why the truth of information or contents was not found out, was the existing knowledge that information, contents or source is not reliable (it was indicated by 80.8 % of population who did not verify the truth of the information or contents), in turn 5.8 % acknowledged that they lack skills to verify the truth of the information or contents.

Annual survey on the use of ICT in households was carried out in the first half of 2023 with co-financing of European Union. Aim of the project is to acquire qualitative and internationally comparable statistical information on the use of internet, and it covered 5 600 individuals aged 16 to 74 years.

Methodological explanations:

¹ Fixed broadband connection or mobile broadband connection is available to at least one household member.

² Of the number of population having ordered goods or services for personal use over the internet during the last three months.

³ Of the number of population having used internet during the last three months.

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

More information on the data:
Ieva Vanaga
Trade and Services Statistics Section
E-mail: Ieva.Vanaga@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366738