[LINK] The Net World in Numbers

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

February 07, 2000 
The Standard

The Net World in Numbers 

Internet usage will skyrocket to 766 million worldwide by 2005 with
e-commerce revenues reaching $1.3 trillion by 2003. 

By Stacy Lawrence 

The Internet wave is spreading rapidly beyond its U.S. origins. This year
North America will represent only 43 percent of the online population and
that will fall to 30 percent by 2005, according to projections by the
Computer Industry Almanac. Western and Eastern Europe meanwhile, will
account for about a third of all Internet users in 2005, up from about 28
percent this year. And almost a quarter of the worldwide online population
in 2005 will reside in the Asia-Pacific region.

Online commerce and advertising revenues will remain largely within the
U.S., at least in the short term. By 2003 the U.S. will still retain more
than half of all e-commerce revenue, with Europe representing about a
third, International Data Corp. estimates. Advertising is even more
U.S.-centric. The U.S. accounted for 85 percent of all online ad revenues
last year, according to Forrester Research, and will keep more than
two-thirds through 2004.

As Web usage goes global, English is ceasing to be the dominant language
online. About 43 percent of users in 1999 were non-English speakers,
according to Global Reach. Japanese, Spanish and German were the most
prevalent non-English languages.

more at http://www.thestandard.com/metrics/display/0,2149,1131,00.html

-- 
All true wisdom is found on T-shirts.
-- unknown

Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Canberra Australia
brd@dynamite.com.au