Vietnam ranks 18th in the world, eighth in Asia and third in Southeast Asia for the most number of Internet users, according to website of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).

Fifteen years since the Internet was first introduced in Vietnam, the number of Internet users has grown to over 31.1 million, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) of Vietnam.

With this figure, the country has fulfilled its initial target of 30 million Internet users set by the Government in the national plan for Internet and telecommunication development, according to the report.

CPV cited Le Nam Thang, Deputy Minister of MIC as saying that 2007-2012 has been a boom period for Internet service and application in the country. The network has thrived with broader connection, increasing service diversity, higher quality and cheaper prices.

Compared to the year of 2000, the number of Internet users in Vietnam has increased 15 times, said MIC.

3G Internet's debut in October 2009 marked a new development in broadband Internet in Vietnam. As of July, the number of 3G Internet users has reached 16 million, accounting for 18 percent of the country's population.

Presently, there are 19 Internet service providers, some 1,064 licensed websites and 335 social networks operating in Vietnam, said MIC.

Vietnam officially connected to the global Internet network in 1997.