Internet Hits 1.5 Billion
Users
Internet had a fantastic expansion during
2008. All world regions show growth, however, at very different
rates. This is quite normal due to cultural, social, and economic
factors prevailing in each part of the world as well as the
already existing number of users.
The following table, displayed for the first time, gives the
yearly growth rates (2007 to 2008) for each region of the world,
estimated according to the Internet World Stats database.
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Internet
Usage Growth 2007 - 2008
Year-to-date by World Regions
|
|
Region
|
2008
|
2007
|
Growth
(%)
|
|
Africa
|
54,374,130
|
44,361,940
|
25.2 %
|
|
America, Caribbean
|
7,994,300
|
5,985,209
|
33.6 %
|
|
America, Central
|
28,639,500
|
25,997,600
|
10.2 %
|
|
America, North
|
249,367,592
|
238,015,529
|
4.8 %
|
|
America, South
|
108,925,884
|
77,978,800
|
39.7 %
|
|
Asia
|
601,354,674
|
510,478,743
|
17.8 %
|
|
Europe
|
390,499,251
|
348,125,847
|
12.2 %
|
|
Middle East
|
43,317,200
|
33,510,500
|
29.9 %
|
|
Oceania, Australia
|
20,204,306
|
19,175,836
|
5.4 %
|
|
Total World
|
1,504,027,504
|
1,319,872,109
|
14.1 %
|
|
Source: Internet World Stats
Database, accessed on December 3, 2008. Comparison figures are
2007 year-end data and 2008 Third Quarter data. Please Note:
Mexico is included in Central America, and Turkey is included in
Europe. Copyright © 2008, Miniwatts Marketing
Group.
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Please keep in mind that these figures are preliminary
year-to-date estimates based on the data received up to now. Some
countries take much time to produce and publish new Internet
usage statistics. From the information on the chart, very useful
growth trends are evident for the various world regions. The
number of Internet users in the world has grown by
186,183,228 persons in 2008, this represents a 14.1%
increase with regard to the number of estimated users that
existed at year-end 2007.
The "early adopters" (North America and Australia)show the
smallest growth, this can be considered a normal behavior because
the "early adopters" already completed their fast growth phase,
penetration rates are very high in these areas. Other territories
and regions are "late adopters" and logically they are just
initiating their high growth rates. South America, the Caribbean,
the Middle East and Africa show this trend, with corresponding
growth rates of 39.7%, 33.6%, 29.9% and 25.2%.
Internet users in Europe increased by 42,373,404 persons.
The European region is finalizing its fast growth phase,
evidenced by the 12.2% growth rate. Asia, on the other hand, is
just starting its high growth phase and the current growth rate
of 10.2% will surely go up in the future. Asia Internet users
increased by 90,875,931 and Asia is by far the region with
the largest population of Internet users. The current low
Internet penetration rate in Asia indicates that there is much
potential for future Internet usage growth in Asia.
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