Michael Schwartz looks at the graph of Internet usage in Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2009, recently issued by the Asian Development Bank. Only 16 out of 47 countries surveyed have an Internet rate of 20% or more. The Digital Divide is still a major issue in this region.
Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2009 is the flagship annual statistical data book of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It presents the latest available economic, financial, social, environmental, and Millennium Development Goals (MDG) indicators for regional members of ADB. Data findings are grouped under MDG and regional tables, the latter compiled from individual country reports.
Economic considerations are given special attention in the data book. Enterprises in Asia: fostering dynamism in SMEs is the title of a chapter dedicated not just to analysing the impact of the current global economic crisis as it affects SMEs but also to raising the dynamic of these enterprises once economic growth resumes.
In the case of the Internet, a graph breaking down Internet usage by country is supplied and reproduced here. Actually, it almost every country in the region as there are one or two absentees, eg, North Korea, Sikkim and Niue.
The Digital Divide makes its presence felt. Out of 47 countries, only 16 have an Internet usage rate greater than 20% (see the graph of Internet users per 100 population). The top eight are countries which are too developed to be covered by Developing Telecoms (at the top is Korea with almost 80% penetration; Hong Kong, classified separately from Mainland China, runs at around 57%).
At this point developing countries make their presence felt. Brunei Darussalam is in ninth, with nearly 50% usage, and then there are some islands: Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Palau and the Maldives. The latter has attracted tourists in recent years and so perhaps these temporary residents have demanded Internet coverage (while trying to get away from it all in the Maldives!).
And then the remaining 31 countries, none of whom register over 15%. For some, there is hope. As with China, India is highly unlikely to stay as low as she is: economic growth will once again be the determining factor. This writer would like to see what the figures are for China and India in ten years time.
Pacific islands such as Fiji make their presence felt, as do some of the Central Asian Republics and Mongolia. One surprise is the low position of both The Philippines and Indonesia, for all the success of mobile telephony in the former and overall economic growth in the latter.
Which brings us on to the rest. Each has its own story to tell (international conflict, civil war, repression, abject poverty, and other priorities such as avoiding natural disasters come to mind). All Developing Telecoms can say is never under-estimate the power of private prayer...
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