China has surpassed Japan to become the second largest global
at-home Internet population, the Internet audience measurement
service Nielsen/NetRatings reported Monday in Los Angeles.
The Nielsen/NetRatings survey of 1,000 randomly selected households
across the mainland of China in the first quarter of 2002 found
that there were 56.6 million Internet users in the country. This
was a dramatic leap from 22.5 million users in the country at the
end of January 2001.
China's Internet population is only next to the United States' 166
million, but only accounting for 5.5 percent of homes in the
country, according to Nielsen/NetRatings.
The survey also found Chinese men aged 16 to 34 dominated Internet
access and usage at home. Among those with home Internet
connections who also surf elsewhere, home was found to be the
preferred venue for Internet surfing, accounting for 53 percent,
followed by Internet cafes and offices.
Most of China's Internet users rely on narrowband, dial-up access.
Until more Chinese households have telephone lines, penetration
rates could remain low, according to Nielsen/ NetRatings.
(
April 23, 2002)