JEDDAH — The percentage of internet penetration in Saudi Arabia reached more than 98 percent at the end of 2021, according to a new report.

The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) released recently its report on the use and penetration of internet in Saudi Arabia (Meqyas) for 2021.

Madinah came first in terms of internet penetration with 99.1 percent, followed by Riyadh and Hail with 98.8 percent.

The report showed that the purchase of goods and services topped the use of internet in the Kingdom in 2021, with more than 70 percent, followed by the download of programs and applications with around 63 percent, then the download of games, movies and photos with 55.5 percent.

According to the report, purchases from local and global shopping websites accounted for 95.2 percent and 51.4 percent, respectively, of the total purchases in 2021. Clothes and shoes were the most purchased goods online, accounting for nearly 83 percent.

Google is the most-visited website in the Kingdom, followed by YouTube and Facebook.

The average mobile internet speed reached 169.52 megabytes, compared with 97.54 megabytes a year earlier.

The average fixed-line internet speed reached 96.36 megabytes, compared with 76.85 megabytes a year earlier. — SG