Wikipedia.com is one of the most visited and trusted platforms in the digital world. It is an online encyclopedia that provides free, reliable, and crowd-sourced information to people worldwide. Founded in 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger, Wikipedia operates as a non-profit project of the Wikimedia Foundation. Its main goal is to allow free access to knowledge in multiple languages for users across the globe.
Unlike traditional encyclopedias, Wikipedia relies on user-generated content and a community-driven editing model. Anyone with internet access can contribute, edit, or improve articles while following guidelines of neutrality, verifiability, and reliability. Over the years, it has grown into one of the largest knowledge repositories, containing more than 60 million articles in over 300 languages as of 2025.
Key Features of Wikipedia.com
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Open Access – Wikipedia is completely free to use and does not require subscriptions.
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Collaborative Editing – Thousands of volunteers around the world write and edit content.
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Multilingual Support – Content is available in more than 300 languages.
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Non-Profit Organization – Operated by the Wikimedia Foundation, funded mainly through donations.
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Neutrality Policy – Articles are written from a neutral point of view, avoiding bias.
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Dynamic Updates – Articles can be updated instantly as new information becomes available.
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Creative Commons License – Content can be shared, reused, and adapted with proper attribution.
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Extensive Citations – Every article is backed with references to ensure accuracy.
Growth of Wikipedia.com
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In 2001, Wikipedia started with just a few hundred articles.
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By 2004, it had surpassed 1 million articles.
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In 2015, English Wikipedia alone crossed 5 million articles.
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By 2025, Wikipedia holds 60+ million articles in 300+ languages.
This exponential growth is due to its community-driven model and global volunteer base.
Wikipedia.com in Numbers (Calculation Section)
Let’s break down some statistics with simple calculations:
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Articles Per Language
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Total articles: 60,000,000
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Total languages: 300
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Average = 60,000,000 ÷ 300 = 200,000 articles per language (approx.)
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Daily Page Views
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Wikipedia receives about 20 billion monthly page views.
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Per day = 20,000,000,000 ÷ 30 = 666 million views per day
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Editing Activity
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Average edits per day: 500,000
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Per hour = 500,000 ÷ 24 ≈ 20,833 edits/hour
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Per minute = 20,833 ÷ 60 ≈ 347 edits/minute
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Donation Support
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Suppose Wikipedia raises $150 million annually from 7 million donors.
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Average donation per donor = 150,000,000 ÷ 7,000,000 = $21.4 per donor
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These calculations highlight the massive scale of Wikipedia’s operations.
Benefits of Wikipedia.com
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Accessibility – Free for everyone without paywalls.
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Diverse Knowledge – Covers every topic, from science to entertainment.
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Community Trust – Articles reviewed by volunteers for neutrality.
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Educational Resource – Widely used by students, teachers, and researchers.
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Global Impact – Helps preserve cultural and linguistic diversity.
Limitations of Wikipedia.com
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Vandalism – Open editing can lead to misinformation.
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Not Always Reliable – Articles may lack peer-review.
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Bias in Coverage – Some topics are underrepresented.
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Citation Gaps – Some articles lack proper references.
Despite these limitations, Wikipedia remains the most popular free knowledge base online.
Future of Wikipedia.com
Wikipedia aims to expand in:
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Artificial Intelligence Integration – Helping editors detect errors and vandalism.
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Voice Search Compatibility – Wikipedia is already a major source for smart assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
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Wider Language Access – Increasing support for minority languages.
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Educational Partnerships – Collaborating with schools, universities, and research institutions.
FAQs
Q1: What is Wikipedia.com?
A: Wikipedia.com is a free, online, community-edited encyclopedia created in 2001, available in over 300 languages.
Q2: Who owns Wikipedia?
A: It is owned and operated by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization.
Q3: Is Wikipedia reliable?
A: Generally yes, but since it’s user-edited, it’s best to verify information with cited sources.
Q4: Can anyone edit Wikipedia articles?
A: Yes, anyone can edit, but edits are reviewed by moderators and other users.
Q5: How does Wikipedia make money?
A: Through donations from users and supporters worldwide.
Q6: How many articles are there on Wikipedia?
A: Over 60 million articles across 300+ languages as of 2025.
Q7: Is Wikipedia.com the same as Wikipedia.org?
A: Yes, typing Wikipedia.com redirects to Wikipedia.org (the official domain).
Q8: Why does Wikipedia ask for donations?
A: Since it runs as a non-profit, it relies on user donations instead of ads.
Q9: How many people use Wikipedia daily?
A: Over 600 million page views per day on average.
Q10: Is content on Wikipedia copyrighted?
A: Yes, but under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, allowing free use with attribution.
Conclusion
Wikipedia.com is more than just a website – it is a global movement for free knowledge. With millions of articles, billions of page views, and a vast volunteer base, Wikipedia continues to shape how people access and share information. While it has limitations, its impact on education, culture, and global connectivity is undeniable. As technology advances, Wikipedia will only become more relevant, bridging the gap between knowledge and accessibility.