China leads the world in internet users

China now has the largest number of internet users in the world, according to Ministry of Information Industry calculations cited by state media, AFP reported. The country’s online population reached 221 million in February, surpassing the US to take the top spot. According to the China Internet Network Information Center, there were 210 million internet users in China at the end of 2007, just 5 million less than the US. BDA China, a Beijing-based technology consultancy, expects the country’s online population to reach 280 million by the end of the year. However, the number of internet users as a proportion of the total population was 16% at the end of 2007 compared to a world average of 19.1%. China already is already the world’s largest mobile phone market with 540 million users at the end of November last year.