Google is not the whole internet
For most people, "searching" means "using Google." But a substantial share of the world's internet users live inside completely different search ecosystems. Different engine, different algorithm, different content rising to the top.
If you want to know what people in Russia, Korea, or China are reading and discussing, searching Google in English won't show you.
Major engines by country — and what WorldSearch connects to
| Country/Region | Dominant local engine | WorldSearch search path |
|---|---|---|
| US, Europe, Japan, most others | Brave Search (independent index) | |
| Russia | Yandex | Yandex — direct connection to the dominant local engine |
| South Korea | Naver | Naver — everyday Korean search runs on Naver |
| China | Baidu | Baidu — Google is blocked |
| Ukraine, Israel, Iran | Google country-restricted search (experimental) |
With WorldSearch you just pick a country — the backend switches to the right engine automatically. Select Russia and you get Yandex results; select Korea and you get Naver results.
The language shift you should know about: Ukraine
One of the most significant changes in search behavior in recent years is Ukraine. Before Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russian dominated Ukraine's online space — search, social media, news, everyday conversation.
Since 2022, Ukrainian-language content has grown rapidly. Ukrainians deliberately search, post, and debate in Ukrainian. What this means:
- Russian-language search results on Ukrainian topics no longer reflect reality
- Ukrainian-language sources are growing fast in both volume and quality
- If you research Ukraine today, you need Ukrainian-language sources
When you select Ukraine in WorldSearch, it translates your query into Ukrainian and restricts the search to sources inside Ukraine — local media like 24tv.ua and ukr.net, directly.
Search language is not just a technical setting; it reflects political and cultural identity.
Multilingual countries get searched in both languages
When one country has multiple language communities, searching in just one language shows you half the picture. WorldSearch performs dual-language search for the following countries, merging results with a language badge.
| Country | Search languages | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Dutch + French | Covers both Flanders and Wallonia content spheres |
| Switzerland | German + French | Crosses information sources fully split by region |
| Canada | English + French | Doesn't miss Quebec's francophone internet |
| Hong Kong | Chinese (Traditional) + English | Local and international perspectives |
| India | Hindi + English | Both the English tech sphere and the Hindi sphere |
| Malaysia | Malay + English | Broad coverage of a multiethnic nation |
Why this matters
When you search a topic about a specific country, your results depend on two things:
- Which search engine indexes the local content
- Which language people in that country actually discuss things in
Researching Korea in English gets you analysis from the English-speaking world. To know what Koreans actually discuss — in Korean, on Naver — you have to go there directly.
WorldSearch is that bridge
WorldSearch lets you search by country. No Russian, Korean, or Ukrainian needed — type in English, pick a country, and WorldSearch translates your query and searches on that country's engine.
Yandex results from Russia, Naver content from Korea, Baidu data from China, post-invasion Ukrainian sources — direct access to local conversations, not English-language summaries.
Note: Search for Ukraine, Israel, and Iran is experimental and is planned to be discontinued from 2027.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most used search engine in Russia?
Yandex. It holds roughly 60–70% of the Russian search market, ahead of Google. When you select Russia in WorldSearch, your query runs through Yandex and the results are shown in English.
What is the most used search engine in South Korea?
Naver. It remains the center of Korean search, with its own ecosystem of blogs, cafés, and news. When you select South Korea in WorldSearch, your query runs through Naver.
Can you use Google in China?
No — Google Search is not available in mainland China. Baidu is the dominant engine there, and WorldSearch uses Baidu for searches in China.
Which search engines does WorldSearch use?
It depends on the country: Yandex for Russia, Naver for South Korea, Baidu for China, Google (country-restricted, experimental) for Ukraine, Israel, and Iran, and an independent web search index for other countries — with results displayed in your language.