The chart illustrates the number of high-speed continuous internet connections per 1,000 people in five countries in 2001 and 2002, while the accompanying table presents the percentage growth over the same period.
Overall, all countries saw an upward trend in internet usage. The USA and South Korea remained the leading nations in both years, whereas Britain, Switzerland and Germany started from much lower levels but experienced faster growth rates.
In 2001, South Korea had the highest level of internet connections, followed by the USA. In contrast, the figures for Britain, Germany and Switzerland were very low and fairly similar. One year later, the number of connections increased across all countries. The USA recorded a particularly sharp rise and became the country with the highest figure, while South Korea continued to grow more moderately. Although Germany and Switzerland also saw noticeable increases, their levels were still far below those of the two leading countries. Britain, despite remaining relatively low in absolute terms, showed a remarkable improvement compared to its initial position.
Regarding percentage changes, Britain experienced the most significant growth, followed by the USA and Switzerland. Germany also rose considerably, while South Korea had the smallest increase, suggesting that its internet infrastructure had already been well developed at the beginning of the period.