BEIJING -- The Internet population in China reached 221 million by the end of February, which outnumbered the figure in the United States to rank the first in the world, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information.

The number was 210 million by the end of last year, only 5 million fewer than the U.S. Internet users then, according to the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC).

Despite rapidly increasing Internet population, the proportion of Internet users among the total population was still lower than the global average level, the ministry said, without giving specific figures.

The proportion was 16 percent at the end of 2007, compared with19.1 percent of the world average, the CNNIC said.