{{See also|Global digital divide|Digital divide|Global Internet usage}}
Developing countries lag behind other nations in terms of ready access to the internet, though mobilecomputer access has started to bridge that gap. Access to computers, or to broadband access, remains rare for half of the world's population. For example, as of 2010, on average of only one in 130 people in Africa had a computer<ref>[http://www.voanews.com/english/news/africa/east/Butty-U-S-Computers-for-Africa-14april10-90805754.html Computers for Africa Launches New Initiative to Help Schools (4/13/2010)]</ref> while in North America and Europe one in every two people had access to the Internet.<ref>[https://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/vol17no3/173tech.htm Africa takes on the digital divide]</ref> 90% of students in Africa had never touched a computer.<ref>[https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iS38zZc6d-JIIBpAx705Zz-zt94Q?docId=N0401251293791904810A Computers recycled to help Africa (12/31/2010)]</ref>
Local networks can provide significant access to software and information even without utilizing an internet connection, for example through use of the [[Wikipedia CD Selection]] or the [[eGranary Digital Library]].
