Europe leads the world in terms of access to and use of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies). The population of the 42 European countries is less than 10% of the global total, yet at the beginning of 2009, Europe had:
- Over 18% of the world’s mobile cellular subscriptions;
- 21% of the world’s fixed telephone lines;
- 22% of the world’s Internet users;
- 31% of the world’s fixed broadband subscribers;
- 34% of the world’s mobile broadband subscriptions.
At the beginning of 2009, mobile penetration in Europe reached 118%, compared to a world average of 60%, and African penetration of 32%.
Europe had 722 million mobile cellular subscriptions at the beginning of 2009, up from 432 million five years earlier.
By early 2009, 31 of Europe’s 42 countries had mobile cellular penetration rates over 100%. In Estonia, mobile penetration reached 188% at the beginning of 2009, and is now over 200%.
At the beginning of 2009, 58% of Europeans were Internet users – compared to a world average of 23%, and just 6% in Africa.
- Europe had 354 million Internet users at the beginning of 2009, up from 216 million five years earlier.
- Europe had 126 million fixed broadband subscribers at the beginning of 2009, up from 25 million five years earlier.
- Europe had 150 million mobile broadband subscriptions at the beginning of 2009, up from under one million five years earlier.
More statistics on the European region are featured in the ITU
Information Society Statistical Profiles 2009: Europe, which is available for free download at:
http://www.itu.int/publ/D-IND-RPM.EUR-2009/en
Further ICT statistics are available online at ITU’s ICT Eye, at:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/icteye/Default.aspx
ITU also publishes a full range of current statistics and analyses. For further information see:
http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications