Online, the Arab language is flourishing as the English-language dominated Internet slowly gives way to a new multilingual era, promising billions of new e-commerce dollars and a growing sense of electronic cultural self-identity in the Middle East.

According to World Internet Statistics, latest recorded figures show that from 2000 to 2009, Arabic language on the web grew 2,297 percent, easily ahead of Russia’s 1,359 percent.  Of the world’s total 1.8 billion web users, 60.2 million (3.3 percent) are Arabic speaking.

Joanne Kubba, Global Communications and Public Affairs Manager at Google, Middle East and North Africa, believes their role now should be  to act as a catalyst to accelerate increased Arabic content, provide localized products, translation tools and partnerships which will ultimately assist individuals with their online activities.

See: Zawya

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