Internet penetration in Cambodia more than doubled last year, according to a monitoring website.
The proliferation of smart phones and data plans helped boost usage from about 1.3 percent of the population to 3.1 percent, according to the Internet World Stats website, which monitors global usage.
The country had nearly 450,000 Internet users at the end of 2011, according to the Internet World Stats website, which monitors global usage. But that number continues to grow. The number of Facebook users at the end of March more than 490,000, according to the website.
“The first thing that attracts them into using the Internet is entertainment,” said Bun Tharum, a technology reporter and regular contributor to VOA Khmer. “At the same time, they realize that it’s more convenient for them to study, do more research and get information.”
Most users are in their late teens or twenties, he said. The growth shows promise for private companies, he said, but it does not mean the Internet is near supplanting radio and television as the main sources of news and information for most people.
“The Internet has enabled users, especially the young, to access information and entertainment,” he said. “But it is not a substitute.”