One of our key priorities at EarthTrends is ensuring that the public have access to the type of information that can be used to understand trends, shape ideas and inform change. Information is crucial to both development and good governance. Successful decision making can only occur if both leaders and the wider public have a complete picture of the key trends and issues impacting their nation and communities. This is particularly important when it comes to sustainably managing a country's natural resources.
However for many, particularly in low income countries, easy access is not always a given. Limited investment, poor infrastructure and the socio-economic landscape all contribute to significant segments of the population having inadequate access to information resources.
How do we measure information access?
Information comes in many forms and from numerous sources. Media such as radio, television, newspapers and the internet as well as direct contact, all serve as conduits. The EarthTrends team recently updated a number of our Access to Information datasets, sourced from The International Telecommunications Union (ITU), a United Nations agency dealing specifically with Information and Communications Technology issues. Such indicators offer useful insights into the global availability and uptake of various communications technologies such as the internet, radios and mobile phones.
An understanding of ICT trends allows tailored strategies to be developed for different countries and contexts. Below is a chart highlighting global access to various ICT technologies per 1000 people.
From the chart above it is clear that there is a regional divide in information access across all mediums. Of particular interest is the uptake of cellular phones and internet technology. Whilst television, newspapers and particularly radio continue to be valuable sources of information the one way nature of these mediums mean that although they potentially have the power to inform the public there exists little opportunity for a two-way exchange of knowledge. If taken advantage of, internet technologies can completely reshape the way that information is shared, accessed and used.
Internet usage trends- an information divide
Internet usage has increased drastically over the last two decades. Worldwide the total number of internet users has shot up from an estimated 2.6 million users in 1990 to around 1399.9 million users in 2007. However despite the dramatic global uptake there are stark regional differences in proliferation. Whilst for high income countries the number of internet users in 2007 averaged at 657.4 for every 1000 people this figure falls to 58.6 for low income countries. In sub-Saharan Africa this value is even lower at 38.1.
This global digital divide is in many cases translating into an information divide with many in low income countries being left behind. Developing the infrastructure necessary to bridge this gap is fast becoming a central development priority.
Photo Credit: Computer Aid
Related EarthTrends Data
Access to Information: Broadband internet subscribers
Access to Information: Cellular mobile telephone subscribers per 1000 people
Access to Information: Homes with personal computers
Access to Information: Internet users per 1000 people
Access to Information: Investment in telecommunications
Access to Information: Radios per 1000 people
Access to Information: Television sets per 1000 people
Footnote:
(1)Chart uses latest available data from the International Telecommunications Union. Regional averages were calculated using national level data. Due to data availability information from a range of years was used. Whilst 2007/8 data was available with good global coverage for both internet and cellular mobile telephone subscribers year ranges were used for both radio (2001-2006) and television sets (2002-2007).
