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04.10.2013

PENETRATION OF INTERNET INTO THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

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Samvel Martirosyan
Expert, Center for Information Studies, “Noravank” Foundation

Statistics of the Internet experiences rather serious problems in the South Caucasus. Thus, for example, in Azerbaijan, according to official data 70% of population uses Internet and 50% of population use broadband Internet1. In Armenia, according to Public Services Regulating Committee as of December 2011 60% of population use Internet2. According to the government data there were 380 thousand Internet users3 (Pic. 1). But, as the type of connection used by this or that stratum of the society and the frequency of usage are not clear, such a statistics raises questions.

           (Number of general Internet users;                      Number of broadband Internet users)

Pic.1
Number of the Internet users in accordance with http://report.gov.am/?id=10

On the other hand there are researches which are based on public opinion polls which on the one hand differ from official data, and on the other hand they provide more detailed answers.

The Caucasus Research Resources Center (CRRC) issued comparative study of the Internet usage in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan4. According to the study, as of 2012 33% of population in Armenia, 16% in Georgian and 11% in Azerbaijan use Internet once a week or more often. Armenia is a leader in the aspect of using general Internet – 53%, in Georgian it is 26% and in Azerbaijan 45%. It is also remarkable that in Armenia there are almost no people who do not know what is Internet, meanwhile in Azerbaijan and Georgia such people constitute 20% and 7% of population correspondingly (Pic. 2).

Picture 2.
Penetration of Internet in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in accordance with Caucasus Research Resource Centers

As for what the population in these three countries uses Internet for, 70% of Internet users in Georgia are using social networking sites, and in Armenia and Azerbaijan this showing reaches approximately half of the Internet users. The Armenians are using Internet for receiving news most of all – 25%. The use of Skype in Armenia stands out – 52%, meanwhile in Georgia and Azerbiajan this showing reaches 31% and 23% correspondingly (Pic. 3).

Picture 3.
Most frequent Internet activity mentioned in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia according to Caucasus Research Resource Centers

Armenia is also leader in the aspect of PCs connected to the Internet in the households – 48%; in Georgia – 32% and in Azerbaijan 17% (Pic. 4).

Picture 4.
Household PC Ownership according to the Caucasus Research Resource Centers.
Diagram by Katy Pearce, http://www.katypearce.net/new-caucasus-internet-stats/

Generally, Armenia takes the first place in the aspect of household PC ownership too (Pic.5).

Picture 5.
Household PC ownership Caucasus Research Resource Centers.
Diagram by Katy Pearce, http://www.katypearce.net/new-caucasus-internet-stats/

Let us take into consideration that this data is for 2012. In 2013 these showings have been growing obviously. Only in the aspect of the social networks use it can be stated that the use of the Internet in the region is an important factor for a big stratum of society. The number of Facebook users in Armenia exceeds half a million and overall number of Odnoklassniki, Mail.ru and «Мой мир» sites users reaches 1.5 million.

1 Проект по развитию широкополосного Интернета в Азербайджане находится на стадии согласования, http://novosti.az/obsh/20130729/299181563.html

2 http://www.internetworldstats.com/asia.htm

3 http://report.gov.am/?id=10

4 Internet Usage and Popularity in the South Caucasus, http://crrc-caucasus.blogspot.com/2013/09/internet-usage-and-popularity-in-south.html

“Globus” analytical journal, #9, 2013

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