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Fifth Annual Global E-Government Study
U.S. and Four Asian Nations Are World’s Five Best Online Governments
A study of digital services offered by governments around the world finds that 198 nations are making steady progress at putting services and information online, but movement forward has been slowed because of budget, bureaucratic and institutional factors. The United States ranks third behind Taiwan and Singapore and ahead of Hong Kong and China.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Asian countries took four of the
five top spots in a new study of global e-government undertaken by researchers
at Brown University. For the second year in a row, the countries of Taiwan and
Singapore lead the United States in overall e-government performance. The study
also shows that 19 percent of government agencies around the world are offering
online services, compared to 21 percent in 2004.
The fifth annual survey conducted by Darrell M. West, director
of the Taubman Center for Public Policy at Brown University, and a team of
researchers evaluated each country’s online presence. The researchers
evaluated government Web sites on two dozen criteria, including the availability
of publications, databases, disability access, privacy, security, and the number
of online services. Previous studies of global e-government were released in
2001,
2002,
2003 and
2004.
This year’s study reviewed 1,797 government Web sites in
198 countries during June and July 2005. Many different sites were analyzed,
including executive offices, legislative offices, judicial offices, cabinet
office, and major agencies serving crucial functions of government, such as
health, human services, taxation, education, interior, economic development,
administration, natural resources, foreign affairs, foreign investment,
transportation, military, tourism and business regulation.
Researchers found that 89 percent of Web sites have online
publications and 53 percent have links to databases. Only 18 percent (up from 14
percent in 2004) show privacy policies and 10 percent present security policies
(up from 8 percent in 2004). According to automated software provided by
Watchfire Inc., government Web sites are also lagging on disability access. Only
19 percent of sites provide some form of disability access, such as assistance
for the vision- or hearing-impaired. This represents a slight improvement since
last year, when 14 percent were accessible.
In addition to analyzing particular features, researchers also
rated countries for overall e-government performance. Using an evaluation of the
number of available services, as well as ease of access to information,
disability access, privacy, security and foreign language translation, each
country was rated on 100-point scale. The most highly ranked country was Taiwan,
followed by Singapore, the United States, Hong Kong, China, Canada, Germany,
Australia and Ireland. Some countries had moved up from last year based on new
features added to their Web sites; others moved down because of inadequate site
maintenance. The following table illustrates the rankings of the 198 countries,
based on e-government performance.
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Rank | Country | Score | Rank | Country | Score
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1
| (5)
| Taiwan
| 57.2 (44.3)
| 26
| (12)
| New Zealand
| 30.4 (33.6) |
2
| (2)
| Singapore
| 54.5 (43.8)
| 27
| (109)
| Arab Emirates
| 30.1 (24.0) |
3
| (3)
| United States
| 50.5 (41.9)
| 27
| (49)
| Qatar
| 30.1 (28.3) |
4
| (11)
| Hong Kong
| 46.2 (33.7)
| 29
| (160)
| Syria
| 30.0 (20.0) |
5
| (6)
| China
| 44.3 (37.3)
| 30
| (31)
| Denmark
| 29.7 (30.6) |
6
| (4)
| Canada
| 43.3 (40.3)
| 30
| (37)
| Mexico
| 29.7 (29.6) |
7
| (9)
| Germany
| 35.3 (35.0)
| 32
| (160)
| Benin
| 29.3 (20.0) |
8
| (7)
| Australia
| 35.1 (36.7)
| 32
| (52)
| Iceland
| 29.3 (28.1) |
9
| (34)
| Ireland
| 34.6 (29.9)
| 34
| (71)
| Norway
| 29.2 (27.0) |
10
| (86)
| Vatican
| 34.5 (26.0)
| 35
| (83)
| Andorra
| 29.0 (26.2) |
11
| (14)
| Great
Britain
| 34.3 (33.0)
| 35
| (140)
| Brunei
| 29.0 (22.4) |
12
| (71)
| Bahamas
| 34.0 (27.0)
| 35
| (102)
| Colombia
| 29.0 (24.8) |
13
| (40)
| Chile
| 32.1 (29.2)
| 35
| (14)
| Dominica
| 29.0 (33.0) |
14
| (109)
| Chad
| 32.0 (24.0)
| 35
| (71)
| Saint Lucia
| 29.0 (27.0) |
14
| (47)
| Estonia
| 32.0 (28.5)
| 35
| (143)
| Swaziland
| 29.0 (22.0) |
14
| (41)
| Finland
| 32.0 (29.1)
| 35
| (192)
| Tuvalu
| 29.0 (12.0) |
14
| (160)
| Guinea-Bissau
| 32.0 (20.0)
| 42
| (25)
| Malta
| 28.8 (31.4) |
14
| (109)
| Macedonia
| 32.0 (24.0)
| 43
| (160)
| East Timor
| 28.7 (20.0) |
19
| (27)
| Netherlands
| 31.4 (31.0)
| 43
| (86)
| Portugal
| 28.7 (26.0) |
20
| (62)
| Switzerland
| 31.2 (27.6)
| 45
| (98)
| Bosnia and Herzegovina
| 28.6 (25.3) |
21
| (14)
| Liechtenstein
| 31.0 (33.0)
| 45
| (61)
| Slovenia
| 28.6 (27.7) |
21
| (14)
| Bahrain
| 31.0 (33.0)
| 45
| (28)
| Czech Republic
| 28.6 (30.9) |
21
| (54)
| Belize
| 31.0 (28.0)
| 48
| (18)
| France
| 28.5 (32.8) |
21
| (19)
| Israel
| 31.0 (32.3)
| 48
| (106)
| Brazil
| 28.5 (24.4) |
25
| (42)
| Iran
| 30.7 (29.0)
| 48
| (143)
| Cook Islands
| 28.5 (22.0)
| Rankings from 51 to 100:
|
51
| (60)
| Slovakia
| 28.4 (27.9)
| 76
| (101)
| Botswana
| 27.0 (25.0) |
51
| (95)
| Albania
| 28.4 (25.6)
| 76
| (33)
| Kuwait
| 27.0 (30.1) |
53
| (13)
| Italy
| 28.3 (33.2)
| 76
| (62)
| Philippines
| 27.0 (27.6) |
53
| (29)
| Japan
| 28.3 (30.8)
| 76
| (77)
| Vietnam
| 27.0 (26.5) |
55
| (35)
| Sweden
| 28.2 (29.8)
| 80
| (130)
| Nepal
| 26.9 (23.2) |
56
| (66)
| Serbia and
Montenegro
| 28.1 (27.5)
| 81
| (10)
| Iraq
| 26.8 (34.0) |
57
| (160)
| Antigua and
Barbuda
| 28.0 (20.0)
| 81
| (37)
| Luxembourg
| 26.8 (29.6) |
57
| (51)
| Austria
| 28.0 (28.2)
| 83
| (54)
| Latvia
| 26.6 (28.0) |
57
| (160)
| Burundi
| 28.0 (20.0)
| 84
| (66)
| Romania
| 26.4 (27.5) |
57
| (160)
| Congo (Dem. Rep.)
| 28.0 (20.0)
| 85
| (127)
| Argentina
| 26.3 (23.5) |
57
| (134)
| Ghana
| 28.0 (23.0)
| 86
| (32)
| Korea (Republic)
| 26.2 (30.5) |
57
| (143)
| Haiti
| 28.0 (22.0)
| 87
| (69)
| Lithuania
| 26.1 (27.3) |
57
| (98)
| Laos
| 28.0 (25.3)
| 88
| (136)
| Algeria
| 26.0 (22.8) |
57
| (192)
| Liberia
| 28.0 (12.0)
| 88
| (86)
| Gambia
| 26.0 (26.0) |
57
| (86)
| Madagascar
| 28.0 (26.0)
| 88
| (77)
| Spain
| 26.0 (26.5) |
57
| (20)
| Moldova
| 28.0 (32.0)
| 88
| (47)
| Oman
| 26.0 (28.5) |
57
| (94)
| Mongolia
| 28.0 (25.7)
| 92
| (46)
| Poland
| 25.9 (28.6) |
57
| (184)
| Tonga
| 28.0 (16.0)
| 93
| (42)
| Maldives
| 25.8 (29.0) |
69
| (54)
| Egypt
| 27.8 (28.0)
| 93
| (93)
| Ukraine
| 25.8 (25.8) |
70
| (62)
| Turkey
| 27.7 (27.6)
| 95
| (128)
| Jamaica
| 25.5 (23.4) |
71
| (36)
| Jordan
| 27.5 (29.7)
| 95
| (104)
| Pakistan
| 25.5 (24.6) |
72
| (30)
| Saudi Arabia
| 27.4 (30.7)
| 95
| (149)
| Uganda
| 25.5 (21.8) |
73
| (42)
| Lebanon
| 27.3 (29.0)
| 98
| (109)
| Nigeria
| 25.4 (24.0) |
74
| (75)
| Cyprus (Republic)
| 27.1 (26.8)
| 99
| (86)
| Afghanistan
| 25.3 (26.0) |
74
| (76)
| Peru
| 27.1 (26.7)
| 100
| (54)
| Myanmar
| 25.3
| Rankings from 101 to 150:
|
101
| (52)
| Greece
| 25.1 (28.1)
| 115
| (20)
| Marshall Islands
| 24.0 (32.0) |
102
| (85)
| El Salvador
| 25.0 (26.1)
| 115
| (86)
| Mauritania
| 24.0 (26.0) |
103
| (37)
| India
| 24.8 (29.6)
| 115
| (5)
| Monaco
| 24.0 (39.0) |
104
| (95)
| Morocco
| 24.6 (25.6)
| 115
| (141)
| Mozambique
| 24.0 (22.3) |
104
| (26)
| Belgium
| 24.6 (31.1)
| 115
| (180)
| St Kitts and Nevis
| 24.0 (17.3) |
106
| (108)
| South Africa
| 24.5 (24.2)
| 115
| (20)
| St Vincent, Grenadines
| 24.0 (32.0) |
107
| (130)
| Ecuador
| 24.4 (23.2)
| 115
| (109)
| Sierra Leone
| 24.0 (24.0) |
107
| (97)
| Hungary
| 24.4 (25.4)
| 115
| (109)
| Sri Lanka
| 24.0 (24.0) |
107
| (125)
| Trinidad and
Tobago
| 24.4 (23.8)
| 115
| (49)
| Uzbekistan
| 24.0 (28.3) |
109
| (70)
| Croatia
| 24.2 (27.2)
|
136
| (124)
| Nicaragua
| 23.6 (23.9) |
109
| (129)
| Russian
Federation
| 24.2 (23.3)
| 136
| (130)
| Tunisia
| 23.6 (23.2) |
112
| (136)
| Fiji
| 24.1 (22.8)
| 138
| (80)
| Panama
| 23.5 (26.4) |
112
| (62)
| Thailand
| 24.1 (27.6)
| 138
| (130)
| Venezuela
| 23.5 (23.2) |
112
| (138)
| Zambia
| 24.1 (22.7)
| 140
| (153)
| Senegal
| 23.4 (21.6) |
115
| (66)
| Armenia
| 24.0 (27.5)
| 141
| (151)
| Uruguay
| 23.2 (21.7) |
115
| (184)
| Azerbaijan
| 24.0 (16.0)
| 142
| (109)
| Kazakhstan
| 23.0 (24.0) |
115
| (74)
| Bangladesh
| 24.0 (26.8)
| 142
| (175)
| Kyrgyzstan
| 23.0 (19.4) |
115
| (103)
| Belarus
| 24.0 (24.7)
| 144
| (105)
| Yemen
| 22.9 (24.5) |
115
| (81)
| Bulgaria
| 24.0 (26.3)
| 145
| (160)
| Angola
| 22.7 (20.0) |
115
| (77)
| Cambodia
| 24.0 (26.5)
| 146
| (139)
| Burkina Faso
| 22.4 (22.6) |
115
| (109)
| Cote
d’Ivoire
| 24.0 (24.0)
| 147
| (155)
| Paraguay
| 22.0 (21.2) |
115
| (109)
| Dominican
Republic
| 24.0 (24.0)
| 147
| (157)
| Gabon
| 22.0 (21.0) |
115
| (192)
| Eritrea
| 24.0 (12.0)
| 149
| (126)
| Djibouti
| 21.9 (23.6) |
115
| (109)
| Ethiopia
| 24.0 (24.0)
| 150
| (176)
| Malawi
| 21.3 (19.3) |
115
| (20)
| Indonesia
| 24.0 (32.0)
| 150
| (98)
| Georgia
| 21.3 (25.3) |
115
| (109)
| Libya
| 24.0 (24.0)
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| Rankings from 151 to 198:
|
152
| (184)
| Micronesia
| 21.0 (16.0)
| 176
| (176)
| Seychelles
| 19.7 (19.3) |
152
| (160)
| Namibia
| 21.0 (20.0)
| 177
| (134)
| San Marino
| 19.3 (23.0) |
152
| (154)
| Guatemala
| 21.0 (21.3)
| 178
| (149)
| Cuba
| 19.1 (21.8) |
155
| (142)
| Mauritius
| 20.9 (22.2)
| 179
| (107)
| Barbados
| 18.7 (24.3) |
155
| (155)
| Rwanda
| 20.9 (21.2)
| 179
| (81)
| Sudan
| 18.7 (26.3) |
157
| (83)
| Malaysia
| 20.8 (26.2)
| 181
| (181)
| Bhutan
| 18.0 (17.0) |
157
| (159)
| Samoa
| 20.8 (20.2)
| 182
| (174)
| Papua New Guinea
| 17.1 (19.9) |
159
| (160)
| Kenya
| 20.7 (20.0)
| 183
| (20)
| Bolivia
| 16.0 (32.0) |
160
| (151)
| Honduras
| 20.2 (21.7)
| 183
| (179)
| Cameroon
| 16.0 (17.9) |
160
| (151)
| Honduras
| 20.2 (21.7)
| 183
| (184)
| Equatorial Guinea
| 16.0 (16.0) |
161
| (143)
| Cape Verde
| 20.0 (22.0)
| 183
| (158)
| Grenada
| 16.0 (20.3) |
161
| (192)
| Central Africa
| 20.0 (12.0)
| 183
| (54)
| Korea (Dem. Ppls Rep.)
| 16.0 (28.0) |
161
| (109)
| Comoros
| 20.0 (24.0)
| 183
| (143)
| Mali
| 16.0 (22.0) |
161
| (86)
| Congo (Republic)
| 20.0 (26.0)
| 183
| (160)
| Niger
| 16.0 (20.0) |
161
| (184)
| Costa Rica
| 20.0 (16.0)
| 183
| (42)
| Palau
| 16.0 (29.0) |
161
| (109)
| Cyprus (Turkish
Rep.)
| 20.0 (24.0)
| 183
| (184)
| Sao Tome and Principe
| 16.0 (16.0) |
161
| (160)
| Guinea
| 20.0 (20.0)
| 183
| (184)
| Suriname
| 16.0 (16.0) |
161
| (54)
| Guyana
| 20.0 (28.0)
| 183
| (184)
| Vanuatu
| 16.0 (16.0) |
161
| (192)
| Nauru
| 20.0 (12.0)
| 194
| (181)
| Tanzania
| 15.2 (17.0) |
161
| (109)
| Niue
| 20.0 (24.0)
| 195
| (183)
| Lesotho
| 14.7 (16.7) |
161
| (160)
| Somaliland
| 20.0 (20.0)
| 196
| (178)
| Solomon Islands
| 14.0 (19.0) |
161
| (160)
| Tajikistan
| 20.0 (20.0)
| 197
| (192)
| Kiribati
| 12.0 (12.0) |
161
| (8)
| Togo
| 20.0 (36.0)
| 197
| (192)
| Somalia
| 12.0 (12.0) |
161
| (109)
| Turkmenistan
| 20.0 (24.0) |
161
| (143)
| Zimbabwe
| 20.0 (22.0) |
In order to improve electronic government, the report suggests
that governments take several steps to reach their full potential in terms of
accessibility and effectiveness. Governments can make their sites more
user-friendly by improving site design. Adding a link to a site map would help
citizens locate information. National governments might also consider taking
steps to standardize the Web sites of all government agencies so that citizens
might become familiar with the layout and location of certain features.
The report also notes that site maintenance has become
increasingly important but often overlooked. Webmasters are constantly adding
features and services to sites without ensuring that they remain functional.
Many sites are under construction or have not been updated for long periods of
time. Designers should attempt to keep their sites as current as possible to
ensure that all information presented is accurate, complete and functional.
A number of sites provide services revolving around tourism,
such as hotel and flight bookings. The report suggests that more agencies should
offer services that are fully executable online and target citizens as well as
tourists to save on government time, money and labor. To help increase the use
of online services, countries could follow the example of Malaysia, which has
created financial incentives to complete government services online.
Additionally, all of the services offered on the site of a particular agency
should be located on the same page in order to make them easy to find and to
increase citizens’ awareness of the available services.
For more information, contact Darrell M. West at (401) 863-1163
or Darrell_West@brown.edu. The full
Global E-Government Study is online at www.insidepolitics.org. The appendix of
the report presents detailed profiles of each of the 198 national
governments.
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