Internet usage in Russia increased 20% in 2009, mostly due to higher user activity in the country's regions, a study by Yandex web portal said on Tuesday.
The Northwest Federal District hit a record in Internet growth rate in Russia (38%) last year, with the number of domains and blogs per 1,000 users growing by 26% and 61%, respectively.
The Central Federal District, with more than 38 million inhabitants, is the leader among the Russian regions for the level of Internet usage. However, the district takes the last place in the rating of user activity.
According to the study, Internet usage is higher in large Russian cities (51%) than in villages (20%). In Moscow, 59% Internet users are adults, with 55% of them having access to Internet at home.
Meanwhile, the growth rate of Internet usage in Moscow (6%) and St. Petersburg (10%), where the Internet market has already been formed, was significantly lower in 2009, compared with the regions.
The Yandex study said the average cost of Mbit/s in Moscow and St. Petersburg was the lowest (135 rubles/$4.60 per month), while the highest cost (1,465 rubles/$50 per month) was registered in the Russian Far East.
MOSCOW, April 20 (RIA Novosti)
