JEDDAH, 14 February 2003 — Internet use, together with demand for personal computers, has grown dramatically in the Gulf region, according to a study conducted by a research group.
The study shows that the number of Internet users and the demand for personal computers grew tenfold in the past four years, Al-Madinah newspaper reported yesterday.
According to statistics released by the researchers, there are 121 Internet users for every 100 computers in the Gulf countries. This percentage is expected to rise with improving computer skills among the population.
Users in the Gulf countries constitute 40 percent of all Internet users in the Arab world, despite forming only 11 percent of its population.
The number of Internet users in Gulf countries in 1998 reached 330,000 and the number of personal computers 1.2 million, or one user for every 3.6 computers. The number of Internet users reached three million and the number of computers connected to the Internet 2.5 million.
A number of international businesses have expanded their investment in the region in response to the projected growth in the sector. The growth rate is slow compared to the market in the US, where it stands at 9.23 percent.
