<P> As the Internet is a heterogeneous network, the physical characteristics, including for example the data transfer rates of connections, vary widely . It exhibits emergent phenomena that depend on its large - scale organization . </P> <P> An Internet blackout or outage can be caused by local signalling interruptions . Disruptions of submarine communications cables may cause blackouts or slowdowns to large areas, such as in the 2008 submarine cable disruption . Less - developed countries are more vulnerable due to a small number of high - capacity links . Land cables are also vulnerable, as in 2011 when a woman digging for scrap metal severed most connectivity for the nation of Armenia . Internet blackouts affecting almost entire countries can be achieved by governments as a form of Internet censorship, as in the blockage of the Internet in Egypt, whereby approximately 93% of networks were without access in 2011 in an attempt to stop mobilization for anti-government protests . </P> <P> In 2011, researchers estimated the energy used by the Internet to be between 170 and 307 GW, less than two percent of the energy used by humanity . This estimate included the energy needed to build, operate, and periodically replace the estimated 750 million laptops, a billion smart phones and 100 million servers worldwide as well as the energy that routers, cell towers, optical switches, Wi - Fi transmitters and cloud storage devices use when transmitting Internet traffic . </P>

What do you mean by internet in hindi