The number of websites registered in China reached 2.6 million at the end of last year and 1.1 million of the websites are with ".CN" domain name.

The websites increased by 40 percent in terms of number last year, said a report released by the Informationization Office under the State Council. The websites with the domain name of ".CN" increased by 154 percent in 2005, becoming the largest national domain name in Asia and the sixth in the world.

The websites launched by companies constitute 60 percent, and those launched by individuals account for 21.9 percent, followed by websites on education and on government, the report said.

The 2.6 million websites are mainly in Beijing, Shanghai, east China's Zhejiang and Fujian Provinces and south China's Guangdong Province.

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2006)