Global Online Population Forecast, 2009 To 2014

Between 2005 and 2009, the global Internet population increased from fewer than one billion to more than 1.6 billion; by 2014, it is projected to grow by another 42%. The bulk of the population growth will come from Asia, which will represent 44% of the online population in 2014. A look at the shifting global online population reveals that the base of Internet users in North America and Western Europe will increase by only a few percentage points a year, while the equivalent growth rate in many developing markets will be 10% or more. Although online population does not immediately correlate with online spending, international eBusinesses must understand the changing global online population numbers in order to understand the dynamics of the markets in which they currently operate and plan for international expansion going forward.