The structure of international internet hyperlinks and bilateral bandwidth

What is it about?

Using network analysis, this article examines the structure of the international Internet as a global communication system. The number of inter-domain hyperlinks embedded in web-sites for 47 nations were gathered using Alta Vista. Data were also obtained on the bandwidth connections among 63 nations. The results indicate that theU.S. is most central nation in the hyperlink network, followed by the Australia,U.K., China and Japan. Most peripheral are Uruguay, Luxemburg,UAE., and Thailand. A cluster analysis found a single group centered about theU.S. The analysis of the bandwidth network revealed that theU.S. is the most central nation, followed by theU.K., Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. Most peripheral are Iceland, Lithuania, and Morocco. This network had three groupings, 1) the English-speaking countries with Scandinavia, Belgium, The Netherlands, and East Asia, 2) South America, and 3) Franco-German Europe. The correlation between the two networks indicates that the physical infrastructure is an important determinant of hyperlink communication. However, it is not the only determinant, others may be cultural or linguistic. The results are discussed in terms of world system theory, the evolution of Internet and globalization.

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