Sri Lanka ranked 79 from 127 countries on Network Readiness

The Global Information Technology Report 2007 – 2008 has given Sri Lanka an overall ranking of 79 out of 127 nations in terms of the most networked economies in the world in its Networked Readiness Index.

In the 2006 – 2007 Report, Sri Lanka had been ranked 86 out of 122 nations and ranked 83 out of 115 nations in the 2005 – 2006 report. The report which is produced by the World Economic Forum, has been published for its seventh consecutive year and has become a leading comprehensive and authoritative international assessment of the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) on the development process and the competitiveness of nations.

The index was compiled based on assessments on an individual nation's market, political and regulatory framework, infrastructure and on individual, business and government readiness and usage. In terms of the individual criteria and categories which were used to generate the overall country ranking for 2007, Sri Lanka was ranked 45 in terms of venture capital availability, 59 for financial market sophistication, 52 on the extent and effect of taxation, 58 on the effectiveness of law making bodies and 64 on laws relating to ICT. Moreover, Sri Lanka was ranked at 47 on government prioritization of ICT, 53 on government procurement of advanced technology products, 44 on the availability of scientists and engineers and 40 on the quality of scientific research institutions.

Sri Lanka was also ranked 88, 87 and 58 on individual, business and government readiness and 104, 50 and 83 in terms of individual, business and government usage. Denmark was top ranked on the index followed by Sweden, Switzerland, the United States and Singapore while the African nation of Chad came in last. The United Kingdom was ranked at 12 while India was ranked at 50. (NG)