The UK has moved up to eighth place on the UN’s ICT Development Index, as the worldwide digital divide continues to grow.
South Korea topped the internet scoreboard for the third year in a row, followed by Sweden, Iceland and Denmark.
Officials forecast that almost 40% of the world’s population would be online by the end of the year, but warned that the relative high cost of net access in developing countries was restricting uptake and causing a “digital divide.”
They revealed 90% of the globe’s 1.1 billion households not yet connected to the net were in the developing world, and highlighted a group of 39 countries – most of which are in Africa – who they said were not making enough progress to roll out information and communications technologies.
The ICT Development Index is based on 11 indicators measuring internet access, use and skills.
It is compiled on an annual basis by the International Telecommunication Union – a United Nations agency dedicated to expanding connectivity.