Chile has the world's 4th-fastest Internet
Which countries have the fastest internet in 2026? Chile ranks #4 globally for broadband, the only Latin American nation in the top 5.
Here's something only day-one Latinometrics readers will know: Chile has really fast Internet. Like, really fast.
Like, faster than everywhere on Earth except three places you could drive across in an afternoon: the Maldives, Singapore, and the UAE.
Chile has accomplished this incredible feat despite a unique and challenging geography marked by a long coastline bordering the great Andean mountain range. In fact, Chile is nine times larger than the three countries ahead of it put together.
Chile's Internet Investment
Fiber optic has been installed throughout the country, providing reliable Internet access at nearly 3x the global average speed.
In early 2024, the Chilean government announced an agreement with Google to install the world's first transoceanic underwater cable, connecting the local city of Valparaiso with Sydney, Australia via French Polynesia.
The Humboldt cable, as it's called, will boost internet robustness and stability, as well help with solidifying Chile as a digital hub in Latin America. The Chilean government has committed some $25M to the joint venture, while Google has already invested over ten times that. The cable should begin operations in 2027.
And choosing Valparaiso as a starting point is doubly fitting, given the city has the world's fastest fixed-broadband internet speed.
Internet Speeds in Latin America
Beyond Chile, though, much of Latin America still has lots of work to do. Much of the region lags the global average internet speed, despite overwhelming majorities of Latin Americans now accessing the web daily in most of the region's countries.
And Chile isn't alone up there. Neighboring Peru is the only other Latin American country in the world's top 25 — a nice bit of symmetry for two countries that share a border (and, historically, a rivalry).
Leaders from around the region should prioritize boosting connectivity and growing citizens' access to good, stable internet if they want to empower entrepreneurs and small businesses to flourish. Whether broadband or through contributing to Starlink's regional rise, it's a must.
And don't tell us your geography makes it too hard. Chile would beg to differ.
Source: Speedtest Global Index, Ookla (May 2026). Cuba and Puerto Rico are not separately ranked.
