The United States accounts for around 40 percent of the global data center market
The data center market is a vital sector that continues to experience substantial growth in several countries due to increasing demands for digital services, cloud computing, and data storage solutions across various industries. In recent years, the data center market has witnessed exponential growth driven by the growth of IoT devices, online services, and digital transformation initiatives across businesses worldwide.
This surge in data creation has raised the need for secure, efficient, and scalable data storage facilities, fueling the growth of the data center market.
Global market surges
The recent surge in demand for data centers has also attracted the attention of investors globally. In the U.S. market alone, demand is expected to reach 35 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, up from 17 GW in 2022, according to a McKinsey analysis. The United States accounts for around 40 percent of the global market.
The global data center market achieved a valuation of $196.9 billion in 2023. It is projected to exhibit steady growth, reaching $464.6 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.30 percent during the forecast period (2024-2032), according to Straits Research.
Regional data center trends
Asia and Europe are emerging as promising regions in the data center sector. Southeast Asia, in particular Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, is experiencing rapid digital adoption and infrastructure development. Increasing internet penetration, expanding digital economies, and government initiatives to enhance connectivity and innovation contribute to the region’s attractiveness for data center investments.
In addition, Europe prioritizes sustainability and efficiency in data center operations, with EU countries implementing stringent regulations and standards for eco-friendly practices. There’s a growing demand for localized data centers to comply with data protection regulations, shaping the market landscape in the region.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has major clusters located in key cities like Northern Virginia, Dallas, Silicon Valley, Chicago, and New York. The industry is a significant part of the U.S. economy, with substantial contributions from sectors such as cloud computing, e-commerce, and artificial intelligence. According to Straits Research, the U.S. data center market is expected to continue growing, driven by increasing demand for cloud services, AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and edge computing.
10 countries with the largest number of data centers
With that being said, here is a list of the top 10 countries with the largest number of data centers:
1. United States: 5,381
According to Statista, the United States has the largest number of data centers globally, as of March 2024. Among the key players in the U.S. data center market are Digital Realty and Meta. Northern Virginia is the largest data center market in the United States. Phoenix, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Northern California, Portland, New York, New Jersey, Seattle, and Los Angeles are also among the regions in the U.S. with the most data centers.
A CBRE report recently noted that markets such as Northern Indiana, Idaho, Arkansas and Kansas will also continue to draw interest from hyperscalers and developers due to land availability and power availability timelines.
2. Germany: 521
In second place comes Germany with 521 data centers. In Germany, the data centers market is experiencing a surge in demand for cloud services, driven by the increasing adoption of digital transformation strategies by businesses. Additionally, there is a growing focus on sustainability, with data center operators investing in renewable energy sources and implementing energy-efficient technologies.
Germany’s data centers market will likely generate $18.70 billion in revenues this year, according to Statista.
3. United Kingdom: 514
The United Kingdom is the country with the third largest number of data centers. The country’s data centers market size will likely reach 2,190 MW in 2024 and 3,610 MW by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 10.49 percent, according to Mordor Intelligence. In addition, the market will likely generate colocation revenue of $9.475 billion in 2024 and $18.218 billion by 2029.
4. China: 449
In fourth place comes China with 449 data centers. Mordor Intelligence also expects China’s data centers market to reach 2,320 MW in 2024 and 3,350 MW by 2029. The market will likely generate colocation revenue of $4.293 billion in 2024 and $6.204 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 7.64 percent during the forecast period (2024-2029).
5. Canada: 336
Canada is the country with the fifth largest number of data centers at 336. Data from Mordor Intelligence estimates that the current size of Canada’s data center market is 750 MW, projecting a 1.16 GW market size by 2029. Meanwhile, Statista expects the Canadian market to generate $8.08 billion in revenues in 2024.
6. France: 315
France is the country with the sixth largest number of data centers at 315. Moreover, it is the third largest in Europe. According to Cloudscene, the total GDP of France is over $2.42 trillion and with a contribution of 4.2 percent from the digital economy, France’s data center industry is thriving. Statista expects France’s data centers market to generate $11.75 billion in revenues in 2024 and $15.41 billion by 2029.
7. Australia: 307
Meanwhile, Australia emerges as the country with the seventh largest number of data centers globally. Mordor Intelligence expects the country’s market to reach 2,670 MW in 2024 and grow to 3,180 MW by 2029. Moreover, the Australian market is expected to generate colocation revenue of $5.65 billion in 2024 and $7.53 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 5.91 percent during the forecast period (2024-2029).
8. Netherlands: 297
In the eighth place came the Netherlands with 297 data centers. Revenue in the country’s data centers market is projected to reach $5.25 billion in 2024 and $7.69 billion by 2029.
The Netherlands is witnessing a rise in demand for sustainable and energy-efficient data centers, as consumers become more environmentally conscious. This trend is also driven by the country’s goal to become carbon-neutral by 2050, and the increasing use of renewable energy sources. In addition, the adoption of smart city technologies and the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) are also contributing to the demand for data centers
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9. Russia: 251
Ranking ninth globally, Russia has 251 data centers. Statista expects revenue in the country’s data center market to reach $4.84 billion in 2024 and $6.09 billion by 2029.
10. Japan: 219
Finally, Japan is the country with the tenth largest number of data centers globally. As Japanese society becomes more reliant on technology, there has been a growing demand for data centers that can support the increasing amount of digital data. This trend is expected to continue, with a projected growth of 8 percent in the data center market by 2025.
Statista also expects revenue in the Japanese data center market to reach $20.6 billion in 2024 and $29.50 billion by 2029.