The Population Reference Bureau estimates the population of France at 62 million as of mid-2008. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg pegs his site's population at 125 million. Facebook is bigger than France. Heck, it's twice as big.
Congrats, Facebook Nation. You're officially huge. Maybe it's time that this Silicon Valley resident bid for a seat at the United Nations?
Well, okay, maybe not. An IPO isn't in the works, and it may not be for years. Executives are cashing in stock, then leaving. Beacon, the intrusive ad platform whose failure made headlines last year, is back in the news thanks to a civil lawsuit filed this summer. Google's
In short, France hasn't seen an assault like this since Burger King co-opted the croissant for its (ahem) breakfast sandwiches.
Yet Facebook continues to attract users. Last week, Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg said that Facebook has 280,000 applications hosted at its site, small programs that enhance the service. Some, like Mob Wars, are huge moneymakers. Facebook's own virtual gifts -- $1 page decorations -- bring in more than $30 million annually.
That's today. Tomorrow, Sandberg says, you'll see Facebook become like France -- and the U.S., U.K., China, or any other country -- as a platform for business. Count Starbucks
Frankly, Facebook's size and grown-up ambitions are huge differentiators. While News Corp's
The revolution is upon you, Fool, and it's serving no-foam skinny lattes. Want a croissant with yours?
Take a sip of related Foolishness:
- Join the Facebook valuation debate.
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