The bar graph illustrates the ratio of city and rural households with the internet connection in a Europe from 1999 to 2004. Overall, the percentage of rural households had less access to the internet than urban/suburban households throughout the period.
In 1999, only 2% of rural households had internet connection, while in cities this figure reached around 15%. The next year (2000), these indicators doubled, 4% and 30% respectively. In 2001, 49% of urban/suburban citizens had access to the internet, whereas rural households were 4 times less and showed approximately 10%.
Between 2002 and 2004, the internet connection became more available in the countryside. It showed an upward trend from around 16% to 36%, while access to the internet in cities did not increase significantly. In 2002, it reached 50%. The next year (2003), it was around 52%. Then, in 2004, the figure increased by approximately 2%. The ratio of homes, both in cities and rural areas, with access to the internet was quite negligible in 1999 but improved dramatically within next 5 years.