Qatar 34th most dynamic country in the world

Qatar is among the most dynamic countries in the world in Information Communication and Technology (ICT) development.

Qatar achieved this feat by moving up eight places to 34th position in the ICT Development Index 2013 (IDI) released recently by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

The index measures ICT access, use and skills, and includes such indicators as mobile cellular subscriptions, households with a computer, Internet users, fixed and mobile broadband Internet subscriptions, and basic literacy rates.

"In particular, Qatar exhibits some of the highest increases in household ICT connectivity. The proportion of households with Internet stands at 96 percent and the proportion of households with a computer at 97 percent in 2013," said ITUs' 'Measuring the Information Society Report 2014'.

The report is widely recognised as the repository of the world's most reliable and impartial global data and analysis on the state of global ICT development.

"The report identifies a group of 'most dynamic countries', which have recorded above-average improvements in their IDI rank over the past 12 months," said the report.

Denmark topped the index that ranks 166 countries according to their level of ICT access, use and skills. South Korea and Sweden came second and third respectively.

ITU's index combines 11 indicators into a single measure that can be used as a benchmarking tool and in tracking progress in ICT development over time.

Other countries which have made it to the club of most dynamic countries include United Arab Emirates, Fiji, Cape Verde, Thailand, Oman, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Georgia.

Bahrain, standing at 27th rank, emerged as the most ICT developed country in the Arab world. United Arab Emirates was ranked 32, Saudi Arabia 47 while Oman was ranked 52 in the index.

"The performance of GCC countries underlines the link between IDI and GNI (Gross National Income) per capita, with high-income countries attaining higher IDI values," said the report.

A recent report by ictQatar showed that Qataris are not only almost all very well-connected at home, but have a multitude of devices at their disposal.

Over the period 2012- 2013, the ownership of devices such as mobile phones and laptops increased significantly within the country's mainstream population.

In Qatar, the proportion of households with Internet stands at 96 percent and the proportion of households with a computer at 97 percent in 2013. [The Peninsula]

Photo taken by Anthony on QL Flickr