The extent of the divide

Over the last 10 years, the digital divide has been shrinking in terms of the numbers of fixed phone lines, mobile subscribers and Internet users. Nonetheless there remains a crucial gap. The International Telecommunication Union estimates that some 800,000 villages – representing around one billion people worldwide – still lack connection to any kind of information and communication technology.

Figures can paint a striking picture of the ICT landscape around the world. The ITU provides some interesting snapshots, drawn from its 2004 ICT World Telecommunication Indicators Database.

Internet

• In 2004, less than 3 out of every 100 Africans use the Internet, compared with an average of 1 out of every 2 inhabitants of the G8 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the UK and the US).
• There are roughly around the same total number of Internet users in the G8 countries as in the whole rest of the world combined:
  • 429 million Internet users in G8
  • 444 million Internet users in non-G8
• The G8 countries are home to just 15% of the world’s population - but almost 50% of the world’s total Internet users.
• There are more Internet users in London than in the whole of Pakistan.
• There are still 30 countries with an Internet penetration of less than 1%.

Mobile

• The 14% of the world’s population that live in the G8 countries accounts for 34% of the world’s total mobile users.

Fixed phone lines

• Of Africa’s 26 million fixed lines, over 75% are found in just 6 of the 55 African nations.
• Africa has an average of 3 fixed lines per 100 people.
• The Americas region has an average of 34 fixed lines per 100 people.
• Europe and the CIS has an average of 40 fixed lines per 100 people.

The divide is very large indeed. Click next to find out how the international community are trying to 'bridge the gap'...