A new report from eMarketer shows that the US remains the single largest internet market in the world with 181.9 million internet users in 2006, although China is likely to take the lead before the decade is out.
Ben Macklin, eMarketer senior analyst and the author of the new
Worldwide Internet Users: 2005-2011 report, said: “The Internet is about 10 years old in the US and the number of Internet users continues to grow steadily, if somewhat more slowly than in the past.
“EMarketer estimates that by 2011 there will be 211.3 million Internet users accessing the Internet at least once a month, up from 175.4 million at the end of 2005.”
The report says that by 2008, two-thirds of the US population ages 3 and older will be internet users, and this will rise to over 70% of the population by 2011.
Macklin added however that the rest of the world is beginning to catch up with the US. He said: “China is quickly emerging as the largest internet market in the world as its middle class grows and home internet access becomes widespread.
“India, however, is still struggling to develop its telecommunications infrastructure so it has the supply of internet access to meet what is sure to be high demand.
“Australia continues to be a leading internet market in the region, and while it is the smallest market of those examined for this report, its influence is not insignificant in the region.”
Australia has long been one of the leading Internet countries in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of internet penetration, and its online population will continue to expand over the coming years.
EMarketer projects that there will be 15.3 million internet users in Australia in 2011, up from 12.5 million in 2005.
| Internet Users And Penetration In Select Countries Worldwide, 2006 (Millions And % Of Population) |
| |
Internet Users |
Penetration |
| US |
181.9 |
63.6% |
| China |
133.5 |
10.2% |
| Japan |
87.2 |
68.4% |
| Germany |
39.4 |
47.8% |
| UK |
35.1 |
57.9% |
| South Korea |
34.4 |
70.5% |
| France |
28.7 |
47.1% |
| Italy |
28.6 |
49.2% |
| India |
25.5 |
2.3% |
| Brazil |
21.2 |
11.3% |
| Canada |
21.0 |
63.4% |
| Mexico |
20.0 |
18.6% |
| Spain |
16.5 |
40.8% |
| Australia |
13.1 |
64.5% |
| Argentina |
7.9 |
19.8% |
| Rest Of World |
354.0 |
12.1% |
| Worldwide |
1080 |
16.9% |
| Source: eMarketer |
A recent forecast from ABI Research said that broadband will reach almost half a billion subscribers by 2011 (see Global Broadband Subscribers To Increase).
In other research, this time from AXA, it was revealed that amongst Britain’s pensioners using the internet has overtaken more traditional pastimes such as DIY and gardening (see Britain’s Pensioners Becoming Silver Surfers).
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