| Economic and Social Context Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Data are midyear estimates. (World Bank) Urban population is the midyear population of areas defined as urban in each country and reported to the United Nations. (United Nations) Poverty is the percentage of the population living on less than $1.08 a day at 1993 international prices. As a result of revisions in purchasing power parity (PPP) exchange rates, poverty rates for individual countries cannot be compared with poverty rates reported previously. (World Bank) GNI per capita (Atlas method) is the gross national income (GNI) converted to US dollars using the World Bank Atlas method divided by the midyear population. Gross national income is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. GNI, calculated in national currency, is usually converted to U.S. dollars at official exchange rates for comparisons across economies. To smooth fluctuations in prices and exchange rates, the Atlas method is used by the World Bank, which averages the exchange rate for a given year and the two preceding years, adjusted for differences in rates of inflation between the country, and the Euro Zone, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. (World Bank) GDP growth shows the annual percentage growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices based on constant price local currency. Aggregates are based on constant price 2000 U.S. dollars. GDP is the sum of gross value added by all resident producers in the economy plus any product taxes and minus any subsidies not included in the value of the products. It is calculated without making deductions for depreciation of fabricated assets or for depletion and degradation of natural resources. (World Bank and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can, with understanding, read and write a short, simple statement on their everyday life. (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization [UNESCO] Institute for Statistics) Primary, secondary, tertiary school enrollment is the combined number of students enrolled in primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of education, regardless of age, as a percentage of the population of official school age for the three levels. (United Nations Development Programme) ICT Sector Structure Separate telecommunications regulator refers to whether a separate telecommunications regulator exists. (International Telecommunication Union) Status of main fixed-line operator shows the status of the incumbent fixed-line operator. Public refers to a fully state-owned operator, private refers to a fully private operator, and mixed refers to a partially private operator. (International Telecommunication Union and World Bank) Level of competition: international long distance refers to the level of competition for international long distance telephone calls (M = monopoly, P = partial, C = full competition). (International Telecommunication Union and World Bank) Level of competition: mobile refers to the level of competition for digital cellular mobile services (M = monopoly, P = partial, C = full competition). (International Telecommunication Union and World Bank) Level of competition: Internet service provider refers to the level of competition for retail Internet access service (M = monopoly, P = partial, C = full competition). (International Telecommunication Union and World Bank) Government prioritization of ICT is based on replies to the following question: “Information and communication technologies (ICT) are an overall priority for the government” (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). (World Economic Forum) ICT Sector Performance Access Telephone main lines are telephone lines connecting a subscriber to the telephone network. (International Telecommunication Union) International voice traffic is derived from the sum of international incoming and outgoing telephone traffic (in minutes) divided by total population. (International Telecommunication Union) Mobile subscribers are subscribers to a public mobile telephone service using cellular technology. (International Telecommunication Union) Population covered by mobile telephony is the percentage of people within range of a mobile cellular signal regardless of whether they are subscribers. (International Telecommunication Union) Internet users are people with access to the worldwide network. (International Telecommunication Union) Personal computers are self-contained computers designed to be used by a single individual. (International Telecommunication Union) Households with television are the percentage of households with a television set. Some countries report only the number of households with a color television set, and therefore the true number may be higher than reported. (International Telecommunication Union) Quality Telephone faults are the number of reported faults for the year divided by the number of mainlines and multiplied by 100. (International Telecommunication Union) Broadband subscribers are the number of broadband subscribers with a digital subscriber line, cable modem, or other high-speed technologies. Reporting countries may have different definitions of broadband, so data are not strictly comparable across countries. (International Telecommunication Union) International Internet bandwidth is the contracted capacity of international connections between countries for transmitting Internet traffic. (International Telecommunication Union) Affordability Price basket for fixed line is calculated as one-fifth of the installation charge, the monthly subscription charge, and the cost of local calls (15 peak and 15 off-peak calls of three minutes each). (International Telecommunication Union and World Bank) Price basket for mobile is calculated as the pre-paid price for 25 calls per month spread over the same mobile network, other mobile networks, and mobile to fixed calls and during peak, off-peak, and weekend times. It also includes 30 text messages per month. (International Telecommunication Union) Price basket for Internet is calculated based on the cheapest available tariff for accessing the Internet 20 hours a month (10 hours peak and 10 hours off-peak). The basket does not include the telephone line rental but does include telephone usage charges if applicable. Data are compiled in the national currency and converted to U.S. dollars using the annual average exchange rate. (International Telecommunication Union) Price of call to United States is the cost of a three minute, peak rate, fixed-line call from the country to the United States. (International Telecommunication Union and World Bank) Institutional efficiency and sustainability Total telecommunication revenue is the revenue from the provision of telecommunication services such as fixed-line, mobile, and data divided by GDP. (International Telecommunication Union) Total telephone subscribers per employee are telephone subscribers (fixed-line plus mobile) divided by the total number of telecommunications employees. (International Telecommunication Union) Total telecommunications investment is the total telecommunications investment (capital expenditure) as a percentage of telecommunications revenue. (International Telecommunication Union) ICT applications ICT expenditure include computer hardware (computers, storage devices, printers, and other peripherals); computer software (operating systems, programming tools, utilities, applications, and internal software development); computer services (information technology consulting, computer and network systems integration, Web hosting, data processing services, and other services); and communications services (voice and data communications services) and wired and wireless communications equipment. (Digital Planet: The Global Information Economy, and Global Insight, Inc., published by World Information Technology and Services Alliance) E-government readiness index is based on a five-stage model, ascending in nature, and building upon the previous level of sophistication of a government’s online presence. These stages are Emerging, Enhanced, Interactive, Transactional, and Networked. Countries are scored on the basis of whether they provide specific products and services (1 = most ready). (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Online Network in Public Administration and Finance) Secure Internet servers is the number of servers using encryption technology for Internet transactions, per 1 million people. (Netcraft, www.netcraft.com) Schools connected to the Internet are the share of primary and secondary schools in the country that have access to the Internet. (World Bank)
Aggregate measures for income groups and regions The aggregate measures for income groups include all 208 World Bank Atlas economies wherever data are available. The aggregate measures for regions include only low- and middle-income economies. The country composition of regions is based on the World Bank’s analytical regions and may differ from common geographic usage. Values for the indicators under ICT sector structure that are nonnumerical cannot be aggregated into income and regional groups.
Information on the original data providers The organizations noted above have made the ICT at a Glance tables possible by sharing their data and their expertise with us. More important, their collaboration contributes to the World Bank's efforts, and to those of many others, to improve the quality of life of the world's people. We acknowledge our debt and gratitude to all who have helped to build a base of comprehensive, quantitative information about ICT. PLEASE CITE THE ORIGINAL SOURCES LISTED FOR THIRD-PARTY USE OF THESE DATA. International Telecommunication Union
Founded in Paris in 1865 as the International Telegraph Union, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) took its current name in 1934 and became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1947. The ITU is unique among international organizations in that it was founded on the principle of cooperation between governments and the private sector. With a membership encompassing telecommunication policymakers and regulators, network operators, equipment manufacturers, hardware and software developers, regional standards-making organizations, and financing institutions, ITU’s activities, policies, and strategic direction are determined and shaped by the industry it serves.
The ITU’s standardization activities, which have already helped foster the growth of new technologies such as mobile telephony and the Internet, are now being put to use in defining the building blocks of the emerging global information infrastructure and in designing advanced multimedia systems that deftly handle a mix of voice, data, audio, and video signals. ITU’s continuing role in managing the radio-frequency spectrum ensures that radio-based systems such as cellular phones and pagers, aircraft and maritime navigation systems, scientific research stations, satellite communication systems, and radio and television broadcasting continue to function smoothly and provide reliable wireless services to the world’s inhabitants. And ITU’s increasingly important role as a catalyst for forging development partnerships between government and private industry is helping bring about rapid improvements in telecommunication infrastructure in the world’s developing economies. The ITU’s main statistical publications are the ITU Yearbook of Statistics and the World Telecommunication Development Report. Publications can be ordered from ITU Sales and Marketing Service, Web site: www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/index.htm; telephone: 41 22 730 6141 (English), 41 22 730 6142 (French), and 41 22 730 6143 (Spanish); fax: 41 22 730 5194; email: sales@itu.int; telex: 421 000 uit ch; telegram: ITU GENEVE; Web site: www.itu.int/ Netcraft
Netcraft is an Internet services company based in Bath, United Kingdom. Netcraft’s work includes the provision of network security services and research data and analysis of the Internet. It is an authority on the market share of Web servers, operating systems, hosting providers, Internet service providers, encrypted transactions, electronic commerce, scripting languages, and content technologies on the Internet. For information, visit www.netcraft.com/.
UNDESA The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat (UNDESA) is a vital interface between global policies in the economic, social and environmental spheres and national action. The Department works in three main interlinked areas: it compiles, generates and analyses a wide range of economic, social and environmental data and information on which States Members of the United Nations draw to review common problems and to take stock of policy options; it facilitates the negotiations of Member States in many intergovernmental bodies on joint courses of action to address ongoing or emerging global challenges; and it advises interested Governments on the ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United Nations conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through technical assistance, helps build national capacities. For information, visit http://www.un.org/esa/desa/. UNDP The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. On the ground in 166 countries, UNDP helps developing countries attract and use aid effectively. The annual Human Development Report, commissioned by UNDP, focuses the global debate on key development issues, providing new measurement tools, innovative analysis and often controversial policy proposals. The global Report's analytical framework and inclusive approach carry over into regional, national and local Human Development Reports, also supported by UNDP. For information, contact UNDP, One United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017 USA; telephone: 212 906 5000; fax: 212 906 5364; Web site: http://www.undp.org/. UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945 to promote “collaboration among nations through education, science, and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law, and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms . . . for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language, or religion.”
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics’ principal statistical publications are the Global Education Digest and regional statistical reports, as well as the on-line database. For publications, contact the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3J7, Canada; telephone: 514 343 6880; fax: 514 343 6882; email: uis@unesco.org; Web site: www.unesco.org/; and for the Institute for Statistics: www.uis.unesco.org/. United Nations The United Nations officially came into existence on October 24, 1945, and currently has 191 member states. The purposes of the United Nations, as set forth in the Charter, are to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations; to cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; and to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these ends. The United Nations and its specialized agencies maintain a number of programs for the collection of international statistics, some of which are described elsewhere in this book. At United Nations headquarters the Statistics Division provides a wide range of statistical outputs and services for producers and users of statistics worldwide. The Statistics Division publishes statistics on international trade, national accounts, demography and population, gender, industry, energy, environment, human settlements, and disability. Its major statistical publications include the International Trade Statistics Yearbook, Yearbook of National Accounts, and Monthly Bulletin of Statistics, along with general statistics compendiums such as the Statistical Yearbook and World Statistics Pocketbook. For publications, contact United Nations Publications, Room DC2-853, Department I004, 2 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, USA; telephone: 212 963 8302 or 800 253 9646 (toll free); fax: 212 963 3489; email: publications@un.org; Web site: www.un.org/. UNPAN The mission of the United Nations Online Network in Public Administration and Finance (UNPAN) is to promote the sharing of knowledge, experiences and best practices throughout the world in sound public policies, effective public administration and efficient civil services, through capacity-building and cooperation among the United Nations Member States, with emphasis on south-south cooperation and UNPAN's commitment to integrity and excellence. For information, visit http://www.unpan.org/. World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is made up of five organizations: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
Established in 1944 at a conference of world leaders in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, United States, the World Bank is the world's largest source of development assistance, providing nearly $17 billion in loans annually to its client countries. It uses its financial resources, trained staff, and extensive knowledge base to help each developing country onto a path of stable, sustainable, and equitable growth in the fight against poverty. The World Bank Group has 184 member countries.
For information about the World Bank visit its Web site at www.worldbank.org. For more information about development data contact the Development Data Group, World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; telephone: 800 590 1906 or 202 473 7824; fax: 202 522 1498; email: data@worldbank.org; Web site: www.worldbank.org/data. For information about The World Bank Group's Global Information & Communication Technologies Department, visit http://www.worldbank.org/gict/. The World Economic Forum The World Economic Forum, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is an independent organization committed to improving the state of the world. Funded by the contributions of 1,000 of the world's foremost corporations, the Forum acts in the spirit of entrepreneurship in the global public interest to further economic growth and social progress. The Forum serves its members and society by creating partnerships between and among business, political, intellectual and other leaders of society to define, discuss and advance key issues on the global agenda.
Incorporated in 1971 as a foundation, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit, and is tied to no political, partisan or national interests. In 1995 the Forum was awarded NGO consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
For information contact World Economic Forum, 91-93 route de la Capite, CH-1223 Cologny/Geneva, Switzerland; Telephone: (41 22) 869-1212; Fax: (41 22) 786 2744; website: www.weforum.org World Information Technology and Services Alliance
The World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) is a consortium of leading information technology industry associations in 65 countries, representing more than 15,000 information technology companies. As the global voice of the information technology industry, WITSA is dedicated to advocating policies that advance the industry’s growth and development; facilitating international trade and investment in information technology products and services; strengthening WITSA’s national industry associations; and providing members with a broad network of contacts. WITSA also hosts the World Congress on Information Technology and other worldwide events.
WITSA’s publication, Digital Planet 2004: The Global Information Economy, uses data provided by Global Insight covering the world’s 70 largest information and communications technology buying countries and regions. For information, contact WITSA, 1401 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1100, Arlington, VA 22209, USA; telephone: 703 284 5333; fax: 703 525 2279; email: ahalvorsen@itaa.org; Web site: www.witsa.org/. |
RSS