PENETRATION OF INTERNET INTO THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
04.10.2013
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
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,
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,
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 sites users reaches 1.5
million.
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2
3
4 Internet Usage and Popularity in the South Caucasus,
“Globus” analytical journal, #9, 2013
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