Prepare for takeoff - 03/2001

Led by China, the number of active Internet users and PC owners in the Asia-Pacific region will increase dramatically in the coming years, according to eMarketer and Dataquest.

The number of active internet users in the Asia-Pacific region will account for more than 27 percent of the world's total online population by 2004, according to a eMarketer's eAsia report.

The report found that the active Internet population in the region will rise from 49 million users in 2000 to 173 million Net users in 2004, a 38 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

Currently, the Internet penetration in Asia is still relatively low compared with the rest of the world, accounting for only 21 percent of the world's online population, said Eddie Cheung, analyst at eMarketer. By the end of 2004, however, Asia will see its Internet population rise to slightly more than a quarter of the world's total.

eMarketer's report also found that Japanese Internet users currently account for more than 36 percent of the total Asian Internet population. This high percentage will quickly dissipate as Internet development in China continues to gain strength. By the end of 2004, eMarketer estimates that China's Internet users will account for 17.4 percent of Asia's total Internet population. Japan's user base will shrink to 18.5 percent.

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