Global Internet Population Rises 7% In 2003
The number of internet users worldwide rose by 7% in 2003, according to an annual report from Ipsos-Insight. The survey of adult internet users shows that growth was driven mainly by rising adoption in urban China, Germany, Japan, and South Korea, which have been amongst the fastest growing markets in recent years. Urban Russia, France and the UK all showed steady growth during the year.
“Any future growth in the number of unique users in mature markets is likely to occur in smaller increments, as a certain portion of the population will continue to have little or no need for the internet. The strongest new user growth is coming from Western Europe and Asia,” says Brian Cruikshank, leader of the global research team at Ipsos-Insight.
The US still accounts for the largest overall market, representing 40% of the global internet population. In a distant second place are Japan and Germany, together comprising an estimated 100 million users, or 30% of the total population measured in thirteen markets. The UK is sixth in the league, with an estimated 23 million adult users, 8% higher than in 2002 and representing a penetration of 54%.
As leading markets such as the US, Canada and South Korea near saturation, growth in new users will continue to come from Western Europe and East Asia, says the report.
“In mature markets, service providers, networks, and marketers can no longer count on a wave of new users,” adds Cruikshank. “Successful business development efforts will need to focus on ‘more of the same eyeballs’, as opposed to ‘more new eyeballs’.”
| 2003 Global Adult Internet User Penetration And Growth | |||
| Penetration (%) | Growth (%) | Estimated user population (m) | |
| Canada | 71 | 15 | 16 |
| South Korea | 70 | 32 | 23 |
| US | 68 | -6 | 128 |
| Japan | 65 | 38 | 56 |
| Germany | 60 | 40 | 39 |
| UK | 54 | 8 | 23 |
| France | 43 | 14 | 18 |
| Urban China | 41 | 37 | 6 |
| Urban Mexico | 37 | – | 5 |
| Urban Brazil | 21 | -13 | 5 |
| Urban India | 19 | – | 3 |
| Urban S Africa | 15 | n/a* | 2 |
| Urban Russia | 10 | 25 | 6 |
| * Not measured in 2002 | |||
| Source: Ipsos-Insight, January 2004 | |||
