ABSTRACT
Rural areas throughout the world have been frequently left behind by the internet revolution. This chapter discusses the reasons behind the lower internet penetration rates there. The urban-rural divide is one of the foremost characteristics of the geography of the internet. The chapter notes the potential benefits the internet offers to rural denizens, including telemedicine and educational opportunities, and the possibilities opened up by mobile internet access there. Constraints include the costs of access and thus affordability and the lack of user capabilities (e.g., literacy). It concludes by examining policy options.
