Global Internet audience increases

According to newly released figures from Nua.com.

The global Internet audience had grown to 580.78 million people by the end of May 2002, a rise of 173.68 million since December 2000 when the total Internet audience stood at 407.1 million.

The study indicates that for the first time ever, Europe has the highest number of Internet users in the world.

There are now 185.83 million Europeans online, compared to 182.83 million in the US and Canada, and 167.86 million in Asia/Pacific.

However, the study findings also indicate that the digital divide between developed and developing nations is as wide as it ever was.

While Europeans account for 32 percent of global Internet users, only six percent of the worldís Net users are based in Latin America, while the Middle East and Africa combined account for just two percent of global Internet users.


While the Middle East and Africa have seen a slight increase in the numbers of people who can access the Internet, the lack of telecommunications infrastructures in these regions means that most citizens remain unconnected.

The country with the highest rate of Internet penetration at the end of May 2002 was Iceland with 69.80 percent of its entire population having access to the Net. Sweden is next with 64.68 percent, followed by Denmark (60.38 percent), Hong Kong (59.58 percent), and the US (59.1 percent).

Completing the top ten are the Netherlands (58.07 percent), the UK (56.88 percent), Norway (54.4 percent), Australia (54.38 percent), and Canada (52.79 percent).

Nua forecast that the number of worldwide Internet users will reach one billion by 2005.

The full breakdown of Internet access figures by region, and by country, is available