Six hundred forty nine million.  That's how much online users China has, outnumbering the entire U.S. population.

A report by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC), said 80 percent or 557 million remain connected to the web using smartphones and tablets. 

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But the agency said the rate of Internet growth is slowing despite the big number of Chinese online users. In its report, only 31 million new users were added in 2014, significantly lower than the 54 million new users who got connected to the web in 2013. 

CNNIC also reported the rate of growth in smartphone users significantly increased, with 57 million new mobile users logging on in 2014.

An Internet user is defined as an individual who has access to the Internet at home.  It does not record use or frequency of use.  The person must also have a hardware equipment in working condition in order to gain access to the net.

Given that China has a population of 1.3 billion, the huge number of online users proved it's not big after all.  This would mean majority of the  Chinese still have no access to the internet, as rural users outnumbered their urban counterparts.

Last year, Tencent, the world's fourth largest Internet firm, brought smartphones and wi-fi to villages in Guizhou Province in Southwest China, a project named "Sending A Dream to the Countryside."

On the top of a mountain behind the village, a new telecom transmission tower was installed by China Mobile, a partner of Tencent in the project.

"We are building the first mobile Internet village in China," said project manager Chen Yuanyuan during its launch  November last year.

A total of 460 households in the village were given smart phones.  They were encouraged to use social media apps such as WeChat, to communicate with the outside world and sell local specialties through the internet.

Data from the World Bank and the United Nations showed the U.S. as the country with the second largest number of Internet users, with 280 million.  It is followed by India with 243 million and Japan with more than 100 million users.

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