The Internet and level of economic development

 Below is an interesting map on Internet penetration by country.

 Map 1: Internet penetration by Country

 In the developed world the internet is part of our every day life. Britain and Ireland have over 90% internet penetration among the highest rates in the world. Yet in 2013 only 40% of the world is connected to the internet. The level of internet usage mirrors closely the level of economic development. Oceanic countries Australia and New Zealand have high levels of economic development and are also advanced economies. African nations, India and some South East Asian countries such as Cambodia and Laos which are considered the least developed countries are also the nations with the lowest rates of internet connection.

Map 2: Level of Economic Development

Sub-Saharan African countries such as Sudan, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic are among the least developed nations in the world. These countries have an internet penetration of less than 10%. Only 16% of the entire population of the African continent are connected to the internet. As nations become more developed we see increases in Internet penetration. Hopefully this is the future for sub-Saharan Africa.

A final map for Geographers to consider is the number one website connecting people in countries.

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/newsroom/img/posts/Age_of_Internet_Empires_final.png