Libya is World’s fastest growing country on Facebook
Libya is Facebook’s fastest growing country in terms of percentage increase in national users over the last 6 months. Usage of Facebook in the north African country has gone up 588.86% with Facebook users rising to 316,000 in 6 months.
The impact of Facebook on the Arab Spring
We heard during the revolutions of the Arab Spring that everyday people were using the social network (as well as YouTube and Twitter) to post their videos and their commentary on the events that unfolded.
Facebook groups were being set up across Egypt, Tunisia and Libya criticising the respective governments and voicing the opinions of the people. Facebook was used as a sound board for the people’s plight, especially when the governments of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Syria were attempting to control conventional media and journalistic freedom. Facebook was utilised to get over any such censorships and voice the opinions of the people on the frontline to the rest of the world. It all started in Tunisia as explained in this piece in The Guardian:
“Ourselves. Our revolution. We put it on Facebook. It’s how we tell the world what’s happening.” a Tunisian revolutionary in Tunis.
In Egypt, which, unlike Syria, allowed the outside media into the tourist-rich country, the social networks were censored via a cessation of broadband via the providers such as Vodafone.
Though these rises in the Arab Spring affected countries is large, all have started from relatively low levels. However, due to the impact the social networks have had on Tunisia, Libya and Egypt usage will almost certainly continue to grow where broadband and freedom of access is allowed.
Below is a chart showing the 20 countries within which Facebook has grown the most over the last 6 months. The countries in this list are most notably war-torn or financially emerging nations plus the anomaly of Japan, which is simply a late adopter.
Countries with Fastest Facebook Growth 2011
# Country Users Change Growth over last 6 months Penetration
1 Libya 316460 +270 520 588.86% 4.90%
2 Chad 34040 +18 660 121.33% 0.32%
3 Papua New Guinea 65260 +31 540 93.53% 1.10%
4 Laos 109180 +51 720 90.01% 1.56%
5 Vietnam 2893200 +1 331 420 85.25% 3.23%
6 Swaziland 47680 +20 140 73.13% 3.52%
7 São Tomé and Príncipe 3380 +1 360 67.33% 1.92%
8 Brazil 30453260 +12 140 520 66.30% 15.14%
9 Equatorial Guinea 16400 +6 440 64.66% 2.52%
10 Japan 5241440 +1 890 090 56.40% 4.13%
11 Somalia 34020 +11 660 52.15% 0.34%
12 Angola 303280 +101 780 50.51% 2.32%
13 Iraq 1174300 +384 040 48.60% 3.96%
14 Kiribati 3740 +1 220 48.41% 3.31%
15 India 38045000 +12 282 580 47.68% 3.24%
16 Democratic Republic of Congo 836940 +266 180 46.64% 1.18%
17 Cambodia 412360 +130 980 46.55% 2.80%
18 Mozambique 169120 +53 380 46.12% 0.77%
19 Niger 40240 +12 320 44.13% 0.25%
20 Mongolia 236520 +71 380 43.22% 7.66%
Facebook growth India, Brazil and Japan
Remarkably three of the world’s biggest economies are in the fastest growth nations on Facebook. Japan who are relatively late adopters of Facebook compared to south east Asian partners, only have 5m Facebook users with a pretty measly 4% penetration of population, which is less than Mongolia. This growth therefore is one of acceptance of the westernised social network over other local competitors, rather than simple access to broadband.
Then there are the emerging economic powerhouses of Brazil and India whose vast populations are still mostly unconnected to the internet, it seems when they do get connection they rush to sign up to the Social Network as around 40% of internet users in both these countries are on Facebook.
At this rate of growth India will be the number one country on Facebook (most represented) within 3 years, which will surely have an impact on how we all use the social network. However, by that time will the early adopters of the western world have moved on to something new as we are already seeing?
Tags: Facebook Usage Libya, Facebook usage India, Facebook Usage Brazil, Facebook Usage Japan, Facebook Usage Tunisia, Facebook Usage Europe, Facebook Statistics
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Tags: Brazil, Facebook Statistics, facebook usage brazil, facebook usage by country, facebook usage country breakdown, Facebook Usage India, Facebook Usage Japan, facebook usage libya, Facebook Useage Libya
the main reason that the growth percentage is so high ,is because the former libyan regime banned facebook – they cut off the entire internet actually!- for 6 months , so after the revolution all the facebook users returned suddenly .
also after the revolution succeeded facebook became the main source for news for the accelerating events in libya.
Yes fair comment Ahmed. Thanks for the facts. Hopefully now that the old regime has been quashed, greater freedom and access to broadband and social networks can also be gained.
Most probably because each Libyan who is already on facebook has another new accounts every day either due to his revolution related positive idea so he needs an new account everyday to post on pages and groups which are supporting the previous era,or the old regime’s people who ever trying to create a negative media to prevent building this unlucky country and to spread the false negative news and making it spread by hitting more like icon on facebook and this the true..Libyan are still so far from being a facebookhoilcs yet..either u belong to the lines party or the green party…if any Libyan doesnt like ur speach or words or ideology he will describe u as an algae or a member of the green party…though most of the lines party’s leaders used to be greener than Ghadafi …so stupid country..leaded by cowards who jumped over the positions and seeking a personal or finincial achievements…God protect this lovely country from Qatar and their slaves and kick NTC and bring a new pure clean wise person who can makes Libyan achieve what they want