Social Networks reach 3 in 10 Latin Americans.

Growth in social network usage around the world is driven by emerging markets, mostly in the Middle East and Africa and Asia-Pacific. In Latin America, growth will be slightly below the worldwide average, but still represent a healthy 18.5% increase in users this year.

And with relatively low penetration among the total population, social networks still have room to grow in the region—though better overall internet infrastructure will be needed before online socializing is as common as it is in North America or Europe. Argentina has the highest rate of social network usage among the population as a whole, at just under 38% this year, eMarketer estimates. That country will stay in the lead by this metric, followed by Brazil and Mexico, throughout the forecast period.

The world’s biggest social networking site is also big in Latin America, and the greatest overall number of users this year are in Brazil, where 41.5 million internet users will access a Facebook account at least monthly. eMarketer estimates nearly 28 million Facebook users in Mexico this year, and about half as many in Argentina.

eMarketer forms its estimates of worldwide social network and Facebook users based on the analysis of survey and traffic data from research firms and regulatory agencies; Facebook company releases; historical trends; internet and mobile adoption trends; and country-specific demographic and socioeconomic factors.

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