The Internet browsing facts

The Internet is the fastest-growing tool of communication ever. It took radio broadcasters 38 years to reach an audience of 50 million, television 13 years, and the Internet just 4 years.

The Worldwide Internet Population is estimated at 1.08 billion. In 2000 there were 400 million users, and in 1995 20 million users.

In 2001 more information could be sent over a single cable in a second than in 1997 was sent over the entire Internet in a month.

The cost of transmitting information has fallen dramatically. A trillion bits of information from Boston to Los Angeles from $150,000 in 1970 to 12 cents today. E-mailing a 40-page document from Chile to Kenya costs less than 10 cents, faxing it about $10, sending it by courier $50.

The average total cost of using a local dialup Internet account for 20 hours a month in Africa is about USD 60 a month and USD 22 a month in the US. The average African monthly salary is less than USD 60.

Native English speakers represent 35% of the online population, although they are less than 10% of the world population. Native Chinese speakers represent the second largest group: 16% of the online population.

In Chile 89% of internet users have had tertiary education, in Sri Lanka 65%, and in China 70%.

Iceland has the highest percentage of internet users (68%); the United States stands at 56%; Malaysia 34%; Jordan 8%; Palestine 4%; Nigeria 0.6%; Tajikistan 0.1%