Latvia records Europe's steepest drop in Internet connection speed

RIGA - Latvia has the world's 17th fastest Internet, according to Akamai Technologies' executive summary for the first quarter of 2017.

The average connection speed in Latvia was 16.6 megabits per second (Mbps) in the first quarter this year - 9.5 percent decrease year-on-year, and the steepest decrease in Europe. Last year, Latvia was ranked sixth in terms of average connection speed, while this year Latvia is in 17th place.

Connection speeds have also decreased in Lithuania and Estonia. in Lithuania, the average connection speed was 14.6 Mbps in the first quarter this year, or 3.2 percent slower than in the first quarter last year, while the average connection speed in Estonia decreased 1.2 percent to 11.6 Mbps. Lithuania therefore is in 28th place in the ranking this year (down from 18th in 2016), while Estonia is in 46th place (37th last year).

Norway has the fastest Internet in Europe and second-fastest in the world, 23.5 Mbps. Sweden is second in Europe and third in the world with the average connection speed of 22.5 Mbps.

South Korea has the fastest Internet in the world, with average connection speed of 28.6 Mbps.