The China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) revealed this week that the Internet population in China now counts 298 million users (according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, the resident population of the United States on January 15, 2009 was 305,619,640).

 

Considering that last year’s report counted 253 million Internet users in China, this suggests that in 2009 we should expect the growth to continue. Over the past few years, the Chinese online population had a sustained growth of over 50 percent each year, starting from 137 million users in 2006.

 

But despite the growth, the proportion of online users in China is now 22.6 percent, still very low compared to that of the United States, but above the global average.

 

The most significant growth (as expected) was in rural China. CNNIC reported one year ago that rural netizens sustained a 127.7% annual growth rate, leaving plenty rook for development in the coming years.

 

The numbers have increased on a yearly basis despite the restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities. The censorship and government-controlled content have not discouraged the population from using the Internet, and the numbers are expected to grow even more. After all, China has 1.7 billion residents, so the figures we see today is just a small fraction of what the future might bring.