Worldwide Internet Users Will Reach 375M in 2000
USA Will Lead with 135M Internet Users

Buffalo Grove IL, May 1, 2000-
The number of Internet users surpassed 276M in 1999 and will grow nearly 100M this year. Much of the growth in Internet users is taking place outside the U.S. Asia will see especially strong growth. China will become second to the U.S. in number of Internet users by 2005. At the end of 2000 the U.S. will account for 36% of total Internet users, down from 46% in 1998 and 55% in 1996.

These are some of the results from a new Internet user market research report by eTForecasts. The report estimates the number of Internet users in 51 countries and totals for all main regions of the world. Internet user projections for 2002 and 2005 are included for all 51 countries and regions. These figures include all regular Internet users.

"PCs will remain the overwhelming Internet access device, but 2000 is the first year that information appliances will make a dent", says Dr. Egil Juliussen, the author of the report. By 2006 information appliances will match the number of PCs used for web access. However, most Internet users will be accessing the web from both PCs and information appliances such as web cellular phones and web appliances.

eTForecasts publishes market research reports for the PC and Internet industries.