South Korea is a global leader in digital technology and innovation, featuring a highly connected population and a thriving digital ecosystem. The country boasts a 95% smartphone ownership rate and high-speed 5G connectivity, alongside a blend of homegrown and international digital platforms. South Koreans are avid users of digital technologies, with long commute times driving high engagement with online content and shopping.
South Korea boasts some of the fastest internet speeds in the world, with widespread access to high-speed broadband. The country’s 5G network is one of the most advanced globally, providing high-speed internet to both urban and rural areas.
Countries
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is undergoing a significant digital transformation, guided by the ‘Digital Ethiopia 2025’ strategy. This comprehensive plan aims to build a digitally empowered society by enhancing infrastructure, promoting innovation, and integrating digital technologies across various sectors.
The country’s digital infrastructure has expanded notably, with Ethio Telecom extending its fiber-optic network to over 23,000 kilometers, providing mobile coverage to 85% of the population. The liberalization of the telecommunications sector has introduced competition, exemplified by Safaricom Ethiopia’s entry into the market. Additionally, investments in data centers, such as those by the Raxio Group, are bolstering the nation’s digital capacity.
Emerging technologies are increasingly integrated into Ethiopia’s development agenda. The government approved its first National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in June 2024, focusing on sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and education .
To support this digital evolution, Ethiopia enacted the Personal Data Protection Proclamation No. 1321/2024, providing a comprehensive legal framework for data governance. The Ethiopian Communications Authority oversees the implementation of this law, ensuring data privacy and security.
Consult Ethiopia’s AI and digital strategies and regulations
Follow Ethiopia’s digital infrastructure
Liberia
Liberia remains a low‑penetration digital market, with only about 32 % internet users as of early 2025—placing it among the lowest in West Africa for connectivity. Mobile subscriptions are much higher—87 % connectivity relative to population—reflecting a strong mobile network reach through operators like Lonestar (MTN) and Orange that drove cellular coverage across urban and rural zones.
Despite its low connectivity, Liberia stands out regionally in a few areas: according to the Internet Society’s Pulse Resilience Index, Liberia ranks third in West Africa for Internet security resilience—evaluated by adoption of best practices and technologies to resist network disruptions. In broader governance metrics, the IIAG Global Index places Liberia among the top ten in Africa for ‘Rural Market Access,’ scoring 94.4, indicating especially strong connectivity and infrastructure access in rural zones relative to other low‑income countries.
Lastly, Liberia has demonstrated steady digital development progress: it scores above the continental average on 44 of 96 governance and infrastructure indicators, improving in 53 indicators between 2014–2023—including public administration, education, business environment, and ICT infrastructure foundations—reflecting steady governance reform and capacity development.
Consult Liberia’s digital strategies and regulations
Follow Liberia’s digital submarine cables
North Korea
North Korea’s digital landscape is marked by surprisingly high adoption of mobile and intranet technologies, given its isolation. As of early 2025, mobile connections reached about 29.6 percent of the population, a relatively notable penetration rate in context. The country operates a uniquely extensive closed intranet system—Kwangmyong, hosting an estimated 1,000 to 5,500 internal websites and supporting services like email, internal search, e‑books, e‑commerce, video streaming, scientific resources, and multilingual dictionaries The Pyongyang Sci‑Tech Complex, with around 3,000 computer terminals providing access to these internal digital services, serves as a major institutional hub.
Consult North Korea’s digital strategies and regulations
Follow North Korea’s digital infrastructure
Kuwait
Kuwait is actively advancing its digital landscape through strategic initiatives aligned with its Vision 2035 plan, aiming to transform into a regional financial and commercial hub. The Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) oversees the ICT sector, focusing on consumer protection, service regulation, competition promotion, and licensing. The country is actively collaborating with global technology leaders, such as the partnership with Google Cloud, enhancing e-government services and developing national digital skills programs.
As a critical node in global telecommunications, Kuwait hosts several submarine cable landing stations, notably the Kuwait City Cable Landing Station. This facility connects major submarine cable systems, including the Fiber Optic Gulf (FOG), FALCON, Gulf Bridge International (GBI), and the Kuwait-Iran submarine cable. These connections position Kuwait as a pivotal hub for regional and international data traffic, enhancing its strategic importance in global communications.
Consult Kuwait’s AI and digital strategies and regulations
Follow Kuwait‘s digital submarine cables
Kenya
Kenya stands out in Africa for the depth of its connectivity and infrastructure. According to Digital 2024: Kenya, the country had 22.7 million internet users in early 2024 (40.8% penetration) and 66 million mobile connections (118.7% of the population), placing it well above the regional average for mobile access. Internationally, Kenya is linked by at least six submarine fibre systems, with the PEACE cable landing in 2022 as the sixth undersea cable, reinforcing Mombasa’s role as a regional gateway.
On the services side, Kenya is the third-largest e-commerce market in Africa, after South Africa and Nigeria, with online revenues projected to reach approximately US$900 million by 2024 and user penetration exceeding the continental average. The National E-Commerce Strategy 2023 notes that Kenya is among the continent’s leaders in e-commerce and that the digital economy already contributes about 7.7% of GDP, one of the highest shares in Africa. In digital finance, mobile money penetration reached 91% by June 2025, making Kenya a global reference point for inclusive digital payments.
Such a performance is anchored in a relatively advanced policy framework. The Kenya National Digital Master Plan 2022–2032 sets long-term goals around digital infrastructure, services, skills and innovation. It is complemented by the dedicated Kenya Cloud Policy 2024, which adopts a cloud-first and data-sovereignty approach, and by the National E-Commerce Strategy 2023. Kenya has also adopted a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2025–2030, aiming to position the country as a leading AI hub in Africa, placing it among a small group of African states with a comprehensive national AI plan.
Consult Kenya’s digital strategies and regulations
Follow Kenya’s digital submarine cables
Faroe Islands
Vatican
In the late 1990s, the Vatican established the “Internet Office of the Holy See,” integrating Vatican City State into the global internet network. This initiative led to the acquisition of the “.va” domain, the development of electronic mail services, and the launch of the official portal, www.vatican.va. Over time, the Vatican’s internet services have expanded, ensuring robust connectivity through collaborations with international operators and internet exchange points. A notable component is the Security Operation Centre, which is dedicated to safeguarding against cyber threats.
Consult Vatican’s AI and digital strategies and regulations
Follow Vatican’s digital infrastructure
Haiti
As of December 2024, Haiti’s digital landscape reflects both progress and ongoing challenges. Internet penetration has increased to 38.9%, with approximately 4.59 million users, yet a significant portion of the population remains offline.
The government, in collaboration with international partners, has initiated projects like the Haiti Digital Acceleration Project, aiming to expand broadband access and enhance digital resilience. Additionally, efforts are underway to digitise government operations to improve public service delivery.
Tech entrepreneurship is on the rise, with organisations fostering innovation and developing digital tools to empower communities. Educational programs are also being implemented to bridge the digital literacy gap.
Despite these advancements, challenges persist, including limited infrastructure, the need for comprehensive regulatory frameworks, and the necessity to develop digital skills among the population. Addressing these issues is crucial for Haiti to fully leverage its digital potential.
Consult Haiti’s digital strategies and regulations
Follow Haiti’s digital submarine cables
Brazil
Brazil has been an active participant in global internet governance discussions, particularly through the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Brazil hosted the IGF in 2007, reaffirming its commitment to fostering dialogue around internet governance at the international level. Through forums like the IGF and the NetMundial Initiative, Brazil advocates for an open, multistakeholder internet that transcends national borders.
Brazil ranks among the world’s most digitally connected nations. As of early 2025, it was the fifth-largest internet economy, with approximately 182 million users and 86–87 percent internet penetration—figures that outpace many regional peers. Fixed broadband speeds are relatively high for the region, with median fixed-line connections exceeding 140 Mbps and mobile speeds around 47 Mbps.
Brazil is a critical international digital gateway, underpinned by a complex network of submarine cables that connect it across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and beyond. Key operational systems include SAm‑1, which has served since 2000 to link Brazil with the U.S., Puerto Rico, and multiple Latin American countries; the Monet cable (2017), connecting two Brazilian coastal cities—Praia Grande and Fortaleza—with Boca Raton in the US across more than 10,500 km, offering around 64 Tbps capacity; and the high-capacity BRUSA system (2018), operated by Telefónica, linking Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza to Puerto Rico and Virginia Beach, with cutting-edge ROADM technology across 8 fiber pairs.
Brazil also plays a strategic role in intercontinental digital routing anchored in Fortaleza. The SACS cable (2018) directly connects Angola and Brazil, providing 40 Tbps across four fibre pairs and bypassing traditional Europe- or U.S.-centric routes. Similarly, EllaLink (2021) establishes a low-latency (~60 ms round-trip) connection between Europe (Portugal) and Fortaleza, with a design capacity of around 100 Tbps via four fibre pairs—strengthening digital sovereignty and neutral intercontinental connectivity. Emerging routes like UNISUR and AMX‑1 further diversify Brazil’s network footprint, linking it with Argentina, Uruguay, and multiple Caribbean and Central American nations (AMX‑1 spans ~17,800 km)