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Google Earth in Arabic aims to boost web use
Google has launched an Arabic version of Google Earth, offering Internet users in the Middle East a chance to view the popular program in their native language.
- By Ivan Gale, Staff Reporter
- Published: 13:31 October 29, 2008
- An aerial view of Dubai's Palm Island developments from Google Earth.
- Image Credit: Google Earth
Dubai: Google unveiled a new Arabic version of its popular Google Earth viewing programme, signalling another step in its long-term plan to stimulate Internet use in the Arab world.
Google Earth is a three-dimensional viewing programme of the planet using satellite imagery, maps and other content. The company says over 200 million people have downloaded the free programme in the English language, or 20 per cent of the global online community.
"The whole objective is to grow online usage and the quality of this usage," said Sherif Iskandar, Google regional manager for the Middle East and North Africa. "This is not a revenue generating activity. We see it more as an enticer for the creation of content."
Currently, Arabic content measures around 150 million Arabic web pages, compared with over 30 billion web pages worldwide, according to Dubai-based Madar Research.
The low Internet penetration rate in some Arab countries is due to the lack of Arabic content as well as low illiteracy rates, which is over 40 per cent in some Arab counties, according to Abdul Kader Kamli, president and research director of Dubai's Madar Research Group.
Powerful tools
Kamli said Google provides web developers around the world with powerful tools to encourage local content.
"Of course, Google hopes to get much more online ad revenue from the region to justify its investment in the Arabic language," he said. "It knows that this will not happen in the short term."
The popular search engine earns revenues from creating ads that are targeted through keywords, meaning as the web community grows, so does its potential ad market.
With new versions in Arabic and six other languages, Google says it will now broaden its focus on creating web communities of non-English speakers.
"This latest release enables a wider number of web developers and users to create and explore points of interest around the globe, furthering the concept of a geographically organised web," the company said in a release.
Google Earth enables users to explore and connect with our planet. Information shared on Google Earth is accessible through the search engine and reflects the opinions and contributions of the person who created it, just like traditional web searches.
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