India World's 5th largest Internet market

Yup its true and even I was shocked to see that According to Internet World Stats India's world' 5th largest market and has grown at rate of 700% in last 6 years from 2000 to 2006.It is based on IMAI report data

1. US: 211,108,086
2. China: 137,000,000
3. Japan: 86,300,000
4. Germany: 50,471,212
5. India: 40,000,000 (sep 2006 report)
6. United Kingdom: 37,600,000
7. South Korea: 34,120,000
8. Brazil: 32,130,000
9. France: 30,837,592
10. Italy: 30,763,848

Mean while Business today has released a report on India's online market in its June 03 edition where the magazine tries to explore why a country with 40 million internet users and just a little over 2 million broadband connections and a minuscule online advertising market worth Rs 240 crore is attracting huge attentions, money and resources of global internet giants (even AOL is here )and VC firms.It also predicts that user base will touch 100 million in next 3 years with more than 10 million broadband connection. It also tells how last year,VCs invested $166 million in 27 internet companies, compared to $17 million and 2 dotcoms the year before and how the biggest money & the biggest crowd can be found in Jobs,Travel & matrimony.It can be seen here if u have subscriber access