Dutch in second place for internet use

9 December 2003

AMSTERDAM — The Dutch are the second biggest users of the internet in the world, topped only by New Zealand web surfers, a new study from researchers Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) indicated on Tuesday.

The research indicated that 75 percent of the New Zealand population surfs the internet, followed by 72 percent in the Netherlands and 71 percent in Denmark.

Norway (69 percent) and the US (68 percent) stand in fourth and fifth place respectively, newspaper De Telegraaf reported.

Of the 32 nations studied, Bulgaria was placed last. Just 9 percent of the Bulgarian population currently uses the internet.

The Dutch celebrated 15 years of the internet on 17 November. Marking the anniversary of when internet pioneer Piet Beertema received the first international email, confirming he had access to the US NSFnet, the first incarnation of the internet.

The email meant the Netherlands was the second country in the world (after the US) to be hooked up to what has become the modern day form of communication.

Beertema still works at the Centre for Mathematics and Information (CWI) and remains modest about his achievements. “I was with the right people, at the right moment at the right place. I was one of them, nothing more”.

Subject: Dutch news