Telling an Old Story with New Maps - Geographic Visualization: Concepts, Tools and Applications - page 104

in both those territories (Figure 5.18). Note too how little Africa has grown in relative size,
and almost all the growth that there has been has been to the extremities of that continent.
In contrast, many Caribbean islands are bulging with activity, suddenly no longer as remote
as they once were. This is the map of who could be looking at the Worldmapper (and any
other) website.
Text Box 5.31: Internet Users 2002
During the 12 years from 1990 to 2002, people using the Internet increased in number
by 224 times. By 2002 there were 631 million Internet users worldwide.
Another change has been the distribution of these Internet users. In 1990 Internet
users were mainly found in North America, Western Europe, Australia, Japan and
Taiwan. By 2002 people living in Asia Pacific, Southern Asia, South America, China
and Eastern Europe were notable Internet users. Some Internet users are also shown
in Northern Africa, Southeastern Africa and the Middle East.
The great mass of software, information and systems sold in the global market-
place excludes not only the cultures of poor countries - but also the very possi-
bility that new technologies can be of use in the projects and lives of the poor.
(Aníbal Ford, 2001)
5.2.31 Who's looking at us?
In Figure 5.34 is the map of who actually is looking at the Worldmapper website. It is
dominated by affluent English-speaking nations and others where many have English as a
second language. Interestingly the United States, for all the reports of myopia of its people,
Figure 5.34 Territory size shows the proportion of hits on the Worldmapper website that are made
in that territory (Worldmapper Map 366)