Feeling Claustrophobic? The Internet Is Soon To Have Two Billion Users

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A report from the International Telecommunication Union has predicted that there will be two billion web dwellers by the end of this year. According to the study the number of Internet users worldwide has doubled in the past five years and is set to carry on growing. Much of this can be attributed to web growth in developing countries. The report said that 162 million of the 226 million new people using the internet in 2010 will live in those countries where web access is still growing. (Read about Why The Internet Isn’t Making Us Stupid)

However, the gap between internet access in high-tech countries and those still developing is still huge. 65% of Europeans enjoy internet access, compared to less than 10% of Africans. According to Hamadoun Toure, Secretary-General of the ITU, high-speed internet connections, which are increasingly required to view modern web content efficiently, are key to continued growth. The report predicted that only about 8% of the world will have broadband access this year. “Broadband is the next tipping point, the next truly transformational technology,” he said. “It can generate jobs, drive growth and productivity, and underpin long-term economic competitiveness.” (Watch the TIME 100 Social Media Roundtable)

NewsFeed looks forward to introducing some of these new Internet users to the wonders of the web. (via CNN)