Nothing changed the world as much as did the Internet. It revolutionised communication across the world and transformed it into a global village.
Here are a few interesting facts about the wonder called Internet:
- There are a total of 1.8 billion Internet users in the world.
- There are 32 countries with more than 10 million Net users.
- China together with the United States make up half of the Net users in the world.
- Out of the top 20 countries, the five with the highest Net penetration (not users) are: United Kingdom (82.5%), South Korea (81.1%), Germany (79.1%), Japan (78.2%), United States (76.3%).
- Seven out of the top 20 countries are Asian (35%).
- Five out of the top 20 countries are European (25%). Six (30%) if you also count Russia.
- Three of the top 20 are English-language countries (four if you count India).
Rank 2: United States; 239 million Internet users
In the United States, it all started in the late 1960s, when Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency developed a project called the ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network).
The Internet, which grew out of this initial project, first gained a public face in the 1990s.
By 2004, three quarters of Americans had Internet access at home, and by June 2010 total number of Internet users stands 234.4 million.
Interestingly, in 2008, the United States ranked 15th out of 30 countries in broadband penetration rates.
This low worldwide ranking is surprising to many, as the Internet itself was invented in the United States.
The country ranked behind most other developed nations, including the UK, Germany, France, Denmark, Switzerland, and Canada.
Rank 3: Japan; 99 million Internet users
The Washington Post in a report once wrote, 'Americans invented the Internet, but the Japanese are running away with it.'
Japan has the world's third fastest Internet connections (7.8 Mbps), delivering more data at a lower cost than almost anywhere else.
The speed advantage allows the Japanese to watch broadcast-quality, full-screen television over the Internet, an experience that mocks the grainy, wallet- size images Americans endure, WSJ wrote.
Overcoming the substantial barriers erected by the Japanese government to the introduction of the Internet, promoters and entrepreneurs managed to create an flexible and dynamic Internet society.
From a slow start, Japan has emerged as the global leader in the mobile Internet.
Rank 4: India; 81 million Internet users
Internet in India was established more than a decade ago as ERNET -- Educational Research Network.
It was a joint undertaking of the Department of Electronics of the Government of India, and the United Nations Development Program.
On August 15 1995, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited launched the Gateway Internet Access Service.
In 1998, India introduced new Internet Service Provider policy which ended Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited's monopoly on Internet.
Rank 5: Brazil; 75 million Internet users
The Internet was launched in Brazil in 1988, when the now defunct National Research Network was formed by the academic communities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo.
It was introduced to the general public, in 1995. Brazilian Internet depended strongly on efforts led by the Federal government and the state-owned communications company Embratel and its holding, Telebras.
This changed in 1998, as a result of the privatisation of Telebras, and the blossoming of private groups such as Telefonica, Telemar and Brasil Telecom.'
Rank 6: Germany; 65 million Internet users
Competition in the Internet market in Germany is intense and, like all areas of the telecom market, there is a wide range of companies offering services and promotional rates to customers.
High speed Internet access is best through a DSL connection and there are many options for telephone and Internet packages.
Most towns and cities have Internet cafes and Internet 'hotspots' providing access via laptop or short-range wireless LAN.
Using the Internet to make telephone calls (Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP) is gradually.
Rank 7: Russia; 59 million Internet users
It all started in january 1990 with the creation of the social organisation Glasnet (Glasnost + Network).
The name and funding was provided by San Francisco-based Association for Progressive Communication.
IT provided grants, which financed Internet work for teachers, human rights workers, ecologists, informal groups and other guarantors of the open society.
In 1993, Glasnet became a commercial provider.
Russia still has some e-addresses that have existed since 1991, which were among the first 150 Russian (or, rather, Soviet) electronic addresses.
In 1994 Russia opened its first website - Moscow Libertarium.
It is one of the oldest sites on the Russian Internet and is supposed to be among the first 3,000 WWW sites in the world.
Rank 8: United Kingdom; 62 million Internet users
Broadband Internet access in the UK was, initially, provided by a large number of regional Cable television and telephone companies which gradually merged into larger groups.'
More than half of UK homes have broadband.
Currently Internet access is available to businesses and home users in various forms, including dial-up, cable, DSL, and wireless.
Rank 9: France; 44 million Internet users
France has several high-speed/DSL ISPs which all offer more or less the same deal: unlimited Internet, TV, and telephone (with free calls to fixed phones in dozens of countries) for about euro 30 per month.
In February this year, the lower house of the French parliament approved a draft bill that will allow the state unprecedented control over the Internet.
Although the government said it will improve security for ordinary citizens, civil rights activists warned of a 'new level' of censorship and surveillance.
Rank 10: Nigeria; 43 million Internet users
How many Nigerian scam mails do you receive in a week? Innumerable would probably your answer.
However, ICT experts of the country are concerned about Nigeria's disinterest in the Internet.
They feel the country needs massive, cheap high speed Internet to further progress and improve access to connectivity.
While the global average broadband penetration is 30 per cent, in Nigeria broadband has a little penetration of one per cent out of the estimated seven per cent of Internet access.
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