Personal Computers
Produced by the SASI group (Sheffield) and Mark Newman (Michigan)
Personal computers are computers
that are designed to be used by a
single individual. This includes lap top
and desk top computers, work and
home computers. In 2002 there were
almost 600 million such computers in
use worldwide; that was 1 computer
for every 10 people.
The most computers are found in the
United States, Japan, China and
Germany - these territories together
are home to more than half of all
computers in the world.
The 12 territories with the most
computers contain 75% of all
computers. This leaves 25% of
computers being unevenly distributed
amongst and within the remaining
188 territories.
computers per thousand people in 2002
100
© Copyright 2006 SASI Group (University of Sheffield) and Mark Newman (University of Michigan)
0
Eastern Europe
200
South America
300
Eastern Asia
Japan
Western Europe
400
North America
500
“I enjoy using the computer as it’s much easier to use than the Braille machine ...”
www.worldmapper.org
PERSONAL COMPUTERS
600
Middle East
Value
2.0
2.0
1.9
1.7
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
0.7
0.6
Asia Pacific
Territory
Central African Republic
Cambodia
Angola
Chad
Burkina Faso
Ethiopia
Mali
Malawi
Burundi
Niger
Southern Asia
Rank
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
Northern Africa
Value
760
709
659
622
621
594
577
565
556
528
Southeastern Africa
Land area
Technical notes
• Data are sourced from the World Bank’s 2005
World Development Indicators.
• Personal computers are defined by the World
Bank as “self-contained computers designed to
be used by a single individual.”
• See website for further information.
Territory
San Marino
Switzerland
United States
Singapore
Sweden
Luxembourg
Denmark
Australia
Republic of Korea
Norway
Central Africa
MOST AND FEWEST COMPUTER OWNERS
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
personal computers per 1000 people in 2002
Territory size shows the proportion of personal computers
worldwide that are found there.
Winnie Kajeni, 2006
Map 337