The International Telecommunication Union says the number of Internet users in the Asia-Pacific region has exceeded that of the North American region and become the largest in the world. 

Under a survey conducted by ITU, the cyber population in the Asia-Pacific region enjoys an annual growth rate of 38 percent and hit 255 million by the end of 2003, compared with 227 million in North America.

This international organization also reveals that by the end of 2003, the number of mobile phone users in the Asia-Pacific region has reached 560 million, making it the world's largest mobile phone market.

Experts indicate that by 2010 the Asia-Pacific will witness an ever-larger growth of net users through wireless access to the Internet.

(CRI September 10, 2004)