The Quiet Revolution 1999-2009
Since 1999 ( I know, many of you, like me, find it impossible to believe that 10 years have already passed!) the world has become interconnected in many ways, but none more than through the Internet and cell phone (Americans say "cell phone", while most others in the world say, "mobile phone"). Religion will tell us via the Book of Revelations that the time of the end times will be marked by instant communications across the world. Well, it has been like that since 2005. One can use a cell phone, driving down the I5 tow L.A. in California and talk to a relative in Aachen, Germany. That is instant. One can have board meetings in business located continents away. That is instant communication. One can be in Cloverdale, CA., and via the Internet, check out a store in Japan or China. That is instant.
However, back in 1999, things were still a bit backwards for many countries. Take Brazil, South America, then, only 5 million were online. Today, try 100 million! Take Columbia, South America, in 1999, only 2 million, today, 40 million. Take Mexico, in 1999, around 5 million were online, today, 40 million. Even the more common european countries have grown. Spain, in 1999, had 6 million online, today, 40 million. Iran and Turkey, in 1999, had less than 2 million online, today, 50 million. The greatest growth is Asia. India, in 1999, had 5 million online, today, 150 million. China is amazing, from 10 million in 1999, to over 370 million today! Suffice to say, nearly everyone in the US and Europe is connected now.
The growth of cell phones is equally amazing. The number of households with one cell phone in Argentina in 1999 was 3%, today 92%. Romania was 2% in 1999, 90% today, China was 5% in 1999, 88% today.
