Worldwide browser market share: February 2011.

[JMH]

The February browser market share numbers are in, and it looks like it was a good month for Internet Explorer, but a bad one for Firefox. Internet Explorer is up 0.77 percent to 56.77, Firefox is down 0.99 percent at 21.74.

These gains were partly attributed to a change in Net Applications' calculations. The company uses demographic data from the Central Intelligence Agency to construct its estimates; the different measures it makes in different countries are scaled to take into account different population sizes and levels of Internet penetration. With the new CIA data, Western Europe—where Firefox has its highest usage rates—now represents a smaller share of the global Internet audience. This change should give Internet Explorer a one-off boost at Firefox's expense.

Chrome saw gains of 0.23 points, to 10.93, continuing that browser's steady growth (in the last year, it has doubled its market share). Safari saw negligible growth from 6.30 to 6.36 points. Opera saw a decline, down to 2.15 percent from 2.28. These browsers may have also been casualties of the decline of European influence on global browser statistics: prior to this February, Chrome has had a monthly growth rate of between 6 and 8 percent, but with these latest numbers it has dropped to growth of just 2%. Opera has also traditionally performed best in Europe.

Internet Explorer share surges, Firefox wanes based on new CIA data

 

[Dave76]

Interesting source for demographic data...

 

[mickey megabyte]

taken from another thread:

interesting map to look at, seeing where the opera fans live etc.

 

[stve]

Heres the mobile version

 

[pparks1]

Doesn't sway me in any way from using Firefox. I'm using it right now and will continue to use it.

 

[Phone Man]

They use information from the CIA? Isn't that the group that gave us all that GOOD information about Iraq. Yea! I believe their estimates.

Jim

 

[indianacarnie]

It continues to amaze me that Operas share is as small as it is. Once I tried it........ its been my Browser of choice by far. I left F.F. a long time ago.... way too much work to get it in "shape", plus the speed issue. Left Chrome also after giving it an extended trial. I know that everyone has their own style and all and all the major browsers have their champions but still....... to ME Opera is so far ahead of the others in speed, usability,ease,security that I just well .... have a hard time understanding why more people don't use it.