CeBIT facts for kids

Jimmy Wales in 2014, talking about Wikipedia Zero at a CeBIT conference.

CeBIT was a very big annual event in Hanover, Germany. It was like a huge fair or show for everything related to computers and technology. For many years, it was known as the largest technology exhibition in the world!

The name CeBIT stands for something in German: "Centrum der Büroautomation und Informationstechnologie und Telekommunikation". This means "Centre of Office Automation and Information Technology and Telecommunication". Basically, it was a place where companies showed off new office tech, computer stuff, and communication gadgets.

History of CeBIT

CeBIT took place every year in the spring at the "Messegelände" in Hanover. This is a very large area designed for big shows and fairs.

From Part of a Bigger Fair to Its Own Event

For many years, from the 1950s until 1985, CeBIT was actually a part of a much larger event. This bigger event was called the "Hanover-Messe," which was a huge industrial fair. It also happened every spring.

But in 1986, CeBIT became its very own independent fair. This meant it was big enough and important enough to have its own separate show.

Visitor Numbers Over the Years

In the 2000s, CeBIT was incredibly popular. Around 500,000 people visited the fair each year! That's half a million people coming to see the latest technology.

Images for kids

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  A crowded exhibition hall during CeBIT 2000

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  The IBM stand during CeBIT 2010

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  A chart showing the number of CeBIT visitors from 1986 to 2013

See also

In Spanish: CeBIT para niños