Facebook's overall growth in Europe from February 2008 to February 2009 has been 314%. In some countries, like Italy, Facebook has grown from an almost unknown site to number one social network, rising from 382,000 to an amazing 10,764,000 unique monthly visitors; that's 2721% growth. In this period, it has also grown 999% in Spain, 607% in Belgium, 518% in France, 499% in Switzerland and so forth.
As far as social networks go, Facebook now holds the number one or number two position in all but three countries: Germany (number 4), Russia (number 7) and Portugal (number 3). In the last year, it has basically established itself as the European social network, in some cases rising from almost total obscurity.
There's no denying it: Facebook is turning out to be the Google of social networking. Even worse for the competition, they have almost no trouble penetrating various markets, partly due to their commitment to translating the site to languages other than English. As its stellar growth continues, it's getting harder and harder to imagine any other social network on top of the hill.
More Facebook Resources from Mashable:
- 5 Elements of a Successful Facebook Fan Page
- 5 Tips for Optimizing Your Brand’s Facebook Presence