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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Asian countries once again
dominate e-government ratings, taking three of the top five spots in a global
e-government study undertaken by researchers at Brown University. South Korea,
ranked 86th last year, earned the top rank, followed by Taiwan, Singapore, the
United States and Canada. The study shows that 29 percent of government agencies
around the world are offering online services, compared to 19 percent in
2005.
The sixth annual survey conducted by Darrell M. West, director
of the Taubman Center for Public Policy and American institutions at Brown
University, and a team of researchers evaluated online government Web sites of
198 countries around the globe. The researchers evaluated government Web sites
based on two dozen criteria, including disability access, existence of
publications and databases, presence of privacy and security policies, contact
information, and the number of online services. The Taubman Center released
previous studies of global e-government in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
This year’s study reviewed 1,782 government Web sites in
198 countries during June and July 2006. A variety of different sites were
analyzed, including executive, legislative and judicial offices as well as such
departments and ministries of the government as health, education, foreign
affairs, interior, finance, natural resources, foreign investment,
transportation, military, tourism and telecommunication.
Researchers found that 94 percent of Web sites have online
publications and 72 percent have links to databases. Only 26 percent (up from 18
percent in 2005) show privacy policies and 14 percent present security policies
(up from 10 percent in 2005). Software provided by the company Watchfire Inc.
assesses whether websites provide assistance for the vision- or
hearing-impaired. According to this software, government Web sites are still
lagging on disability access. Only 23 percent of sites provide disability
access, although this is up from 19 percent in 2005.
In addition to analyzing particular features, researchers rated
countries for overall e-government performance. By evaluating the aforementioned
features as well as others including PDA access, user fees, and foreign language
translation, researchers rated each country on a zero to 100 point scale. The
following table illustrates the rankings of the 198 countries in 2006. (Previous year’s ranking and score are in parentheses.)
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One through 50
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Rank | Country | Score | Rank | Country | Score |
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1 (86) | Korea (Republic) | 60.3 (26.2) | 25 (35) | Swaziland | 34.0 (29.0) |
2 (1) | Taiwan | 49.8 (57.2) | 27 (70) | Turkey | 33.7 (27.7) |
3 (2) | Singapore | 47.5 (54.5) | 28 (142) | Kazakhstan | 33.6 (23.0) |
4 (3) | United States | 47.4 (50.5) | 28 (42) | Malta | 33.6 (28.8) |
5 (6) | Canada | 43.5 (43.3) | 30 (10) | Vatican | 33.5 (34.5) |
6 (11) | Great Britain | 42.6 (34.3) | 31 (115) | Libya | 33.0 (24.0) |
7 (9) | Ireland | 41.9 (34.6) | 31 (21) | Liechtenstein | 33.0 (31.0) |
8 (7) | Germany | 41.5 (35.3) | 31 (14) | Macedonia | 33.0 (32.0) |
8 (53) | Japan | 41.5 (28.3) | 34 (13) | Chile | 32.9 (32.1) |
10 (88) | Spain | 40.6 (26.0) | 34 (53) | Italy | 32.9 (28.3) |
11 (35) | Dominica | 40.0 (29.0) | 36 (157) | Malaysia | 32.7 (20.8) |
12 (8) | Australia | 39.9 (35.1) | 37 (51) | Slovakia | 32.3 (28.4) |
13 (55) | Sweden | 38.3 (28.2) | 38 (48) | Brazil | 32.1 (28.5) |
14 (26) | New Zealand | 37.6 (30.4) | 39 (181) | Bhutan | 32.0 (18.0) |
15 (19) | Netherlands | 37.4 (31.4) | 39 (183) | Equatorial Guinea | 32.0 (16.0) |
16 (20) | Switzerland | 36.9 (31.2) | 39 (115) | Monaco | 32.0 (24.0) |
17 (115) | Azerbaijan | 36.0 (24.0) | 39 (35) | Tuvalu | 32.0 (29.0) |
17 (183) | Korea (Dem. Republic) | 36.0 (16.0) | 43 (109) | Russia | 31.9 (24.2) |
19 (14) | Finland | 35.6 (32.0) | 44 (30) | Denmark | 31.8 (29.7) |
20 (4) | Hong Kong | 35.4 (46.2) | 44 (45) | Slovenia | 31.8 (28.6) |
21 (34) | Norway | 35.0 (29.2) | 46 (45) | Czech Republic | 31.7 (28.6) |
21 (93) | Ukraine | 35.0 (25.8) | 47 (150) | Georgia | 31.4 (21.3) |
23 (48) | France | 34.7 (28.5) | 48 (43) | Portugal | 31.3 (28.7) |
24 (27) | Qatar | 34.5 (30.1) | 48 (56) | Serbia / Montenegro | 31.3 (28.1) |
25 (14) | Estonia | 34.0 (32.0) | 50 (29) | Syria | 31.2 (30.0) |
51 through 100
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Rank | Country | Score | Rank | Country | Score |
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51 (32) | Iceland | 31.1 (29.3) | 76 (5) | China (People’s Rep.) | 28.8 (44.3) |
51 (98) | Nigeria | 31.1 (25.4) | 77 (103) | India | 28.7 (24.8) |
53 (35) | St. Lucia | 31.0 (29.0) | 77 (71) | Jordan | 28.7 (27.5) |
54 (74) | Peru | 30.8 (27.1) | 77 (73) | Lebanon | 28.7 (27.3) |
55 (81) | Luxembourg | 30.7 (26.8) | 80 (35) | Colombia | 28.6 (29.0) |
56 (57) | Austria | 30.6 (28.0) | 81 (76) | Kuwait | 28.5 (27.0) |
56 (83) | Latvia | 30.6 (26.6) | 82 (104) | Belgium | 28.4 (24.6) |
58 (107) | Hungary | 30.5 (24.4) | 83 (87) | Lithuania | 28.3 (26.1) |
59 (76) | Philippines | 30.4 (27.0) | 84 (74) | Cyprus (Republic) | 28.3 (27.1) |
60 (80) | Nepal | 30.3 (26.9) | 85 (88) | Oman | 28.1 (26.0) |
61 (69) | Egypt | 30.2 (27.8) | 86 (115) | Bangladesh | 28.0 (24.0) |
61 (84) | Romania | 30.2 (26.4) | 86 (183) | Bolivia | 28.0 (16.0) |
63 (92) | Poland | 30.1 (25.9) | 86 (109) | Croatia | 28.0 (24.2) |
64 (115) | Belarus | 30.0 (24.0) | 86 (161) | Cyprus (Turkish Rep.) | 28.0 (20.0) |
65 (21) | Bahrain | 29.6 (31.0) | 86 (57) | Ghana | 28.0 (28.0) |
66 (27) | Arab Emirates | 29.5 (30.1) | 86 (101) | Greece | 28.0 (25.1) |
67 (21) | Israel | 29.4 (31.0) | 86 (152) | Guatemala | 28.0 (21.0) |
68 (30) | Mexico | 29.3 (29.7) | 86 (14) | Guinea-Bissau | 28.0 (32.0) |
68 (179) | Sudan | 29.3 (18.7) | 86 (57) | Haiti | 28.0 (28.0) |
70 (106) | South Africa | 29.2 (24.5) | 86 (57) | Laos | 28.0 (28.0) |
71 (45) | Bosnia / Herzegovina | 29.1 (28.6) | 86 (115) | Sri Lanka | 28.0 (24.0) |
71 (95) | Pakistan | 29.1 (25.5) | 86 (161) | Tajikistan | 28.0 (20.0) |
73 (115) | Eritrea | 29.0 (24.0) | 98 (72) | Saudi Arabia | 27.9 (27.4) |
73 (93) | Maldives | 29.0 (25.8) | 99 (107) | Ecuador | 27.5 (24.4) |
73 (57) | Mongolia | 29.0 (28.0) | 99 (159) | Kenya | 27.5 (20.7) |
101 through 150
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Rank | Country | Score | Rank | Country | Score |
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101 (43) | East Timor | 27.4 (28.7) | 125 (115) | Marshall Islands | 25.0 (24.0) |
102 (25) | Iran | 27.3 (30.7) | 125 (76) | Vietnam | 25.0 (27.0) |
103 (81) | Iraq | 27.0 (26.8) | 128 (88) | Algeria | 24.6 (26.0) |
103 (138) | Panama | 27.0 (23.5) | 129 (177) | San Marino | 24.3 (19.3) |
103 (115) | Uzbekistan | 27.0 (24.0) | 130 (104) | Morocco | 24.2 (24.6) |
106 (35) | Brunei | 26.8 (29.0) | 130 (141) | Uruguay | 24.2 (23.2) |
107 (99) | Afghanistan | 26.7 (25.3) | 132 (51) | Albania | 24.0 (28.4) |
107 (145) | Angola | 26.7 (22.7) | 132 (35) | Andorra | 24.0 (29.0) |
107 (32) | Benin | 26.7 (29.3) | 132 (12) | Bahamas | 24.0 (34.0) |
110 (95) | Jamaica | 26.4 (25.5) | 132 (57) | Congo (Dem. Rep) | 24.0 (28.0) |
110 (136) | Tunisia | 26.4 (23.6) | 132 (115) | Côte d’Ivoire | 24.0 (24.0) |
112 (85) | Argentina | 26.1 (26.3) | 132 (147) | Gabon | 24.0 (22.0) |
113 (115) | Bulgaria | 26.0 (24.0) | 132 (88) | Gambia | 24.0 (26.0) |
113 (115) | Mauritania | 26.0 (24.0) | 132 (161) | Guyana | 24.0 (20.0) |
113 (136) | Nicaragua | 26.0 (23.6) | 132 (57) | Liberia | 24.0 (28.0) |
113 (115) | St. Vincent, Grenadines | 26.0 (24.0) | 132 (57) | Moldova | 24.0 (28.0) |
113 (161) | Zimbabwe | 26.0 (20.0) | 132 (115) | Mozambique | 24.0 (24.0) |
118 (176) | Seychelles | 25.5 (19.7) | 132 (115) | Sierra Leone | 24.0 (24.0) |
119 (115) | Armenia | 25.3 (24.0) | 132 (197) | Somalia | 24.0 (12.0) |
119 (102) | El Salvador | 25.3 (25.0) | 132 (115) | St. Kitts | 24.0 (24.0) |
119 (112) | Fiji | 25.3 (24.1) | 132 (183) | Suriname | 24.0 (16.0) |
119 (100) | Myanmar | 25.3 (25.3) | 132 (161) | Turkmenistan | 24.0 (20.0) |
119 (147) | Paraguay | 25.3 (22.0) | 148 (57) | Antigua and Barbuda | 23.7 (28.0) |
124 (140) | Senegal | 25.1 (23.4) | 148 (155) | Mauritius | 23.7 (20.9) |
125 (161) | Congo (Republic) | 25.0 (20.0) | 150 (112) | Zambia | 23.5 (24.1) |
151 through 198
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Rank | Country | Score | Rank | Country | Score |
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151 (112) | Thailand | 23.4 (24.1) | 173 (115) | Indonesia | 20.0 (24.0) |
151 (107) | Trinidad and Tobago | 23.4 (24.4) | 173 (57) | Madagascar | 20.0 (28.0) |
151 (144) | Yemen | 23.4 (22.9) | 173 (183) | Mali | 20.0 (16.0) |
154 (155) | Rwanda | 23.3 (20.9) | 173 (183) | Niger | 20.0 (16.0) |
155 (115) | Cambodia | 23.2 (24.0) | 173 (161) | Niue | 20.0 (20.0) |
155 (142) | Venezuela | 23.2 (23.5) | 173 (183) | Palau | 20.0 (16.0) |
157 (178) | Cuba | 22.7 (19.1) | 173 (161) | Somaliland | 20.0 (20.0) |
158 (95) | Uganda | 22.5 (25.5) | 173 (183) | Vanuatu | 20.0 (16.0) |
159 (142) | Kyrgyzstan | 22.4 (23.0) | 184 (183) | Cameroon | 19.0 (16.0) |
160 (149) | Djibouti | 22.1 (21.9) | 185 (196) | Solomon Islands | 18.0 (14.0) |
161 (21) | Belize | 22.0 (31.0) | 186 (194) | Tanzania | 17.5 (15.2) |
161 (76) | Botswana | 22.0 (27.0) | 187 (146) | Burkina Faso | 17.0 (22.4) |
161 (161) | Cape Verde | 22.0 (20.0) | 188 (195) | Lesotho | 16.7 (14.7) |
161 (48) | Cook Islands | 22.0 (28.5) | 189 (161) | Central African Rep. | 16.0 (20.0) |
161 (115) | Dominican Republic | 22.0 (24.0) | 189 (183) | Grenada | 16.0 (16.0) |
161 (115) | Ethiopia | 22.0 (24.0) | 189 (161) | Guinea | 16.0 (20.0) |
161 (157) | Samoa | 22.0 (20.8) | 189 (183) | São Tomé / Principe | 16.0 (16.0) |
168 (152) | Namibia | 21.4 (21.0) | 189 (161) | Togo | 16.0 (20.0) |
169 (152) | Micronesia | 21.0 (21.0) | 189 (57) | Tonga | 16.0 (28.0) |
169 (182) | Papua New Guinea | 21.0(17.1) | 195 (197) | Kiribati | 12.0 (12.0) |
171 (160) | Honduras | 20.8 (20.2) | 195 (161) | Nauru | 16.0 (20.0) |
172 (150) | Malawi | 20.7 (21.3) | 197 (14) | Chad | 9.0 (32.0) |
173 (179) | Barbados | 20.0 (18.7) | 198 (57) | Burundi | 8.0 (28.0) |
173 (161) | Comoros | 20.0 (20.0) | |
173 (161) | Costa Rica | 20.0 (20.0) | |
In order to improve electronic government, the report suggests
that governments take several steps to reach their full potential for
accessibility and effectiveness. Governments should make their sites more
user-friendly by improving site design. Clutter such as too much text in the
navigation bars should be reduced and the number of ads on each page should be
kept to a minimum. When governments have a portal page, the page should have
links to other departments or ministries. This is a useful way to integrate
e-government so each department is not just a single, separate entity on the
World Wide Web. Site maps help citizens locate information.
Communication between the government and its citizens is crucial
to progressing toward a more effective online presence. Feedback forms, e-mail
addresses, polls, and other means of communication are vital to improving the
sites to cater to citizens’ needs.
Site maintenance is increasingly important in the technological
age, but it is often overlooked. Web designers add features and services to
sites without ensuring their constant functioning. Many sites are under
construction or have not been updated. Governments should keep their sites
up-to-date to ensure that all information is accurate and complete.
Numerous sites already provide services revolving around
tourism, such as hotel and flight bookings. However, the government should not
only target tourists but offer services that are fully executable online for
citizens as well. In some cases, online services exist, but they are not used by
citizens. To help increase the use of e-services, countries could follow
Canada’s model of publicizing its services by posting links to
personalized online services in the navigation bar of their sites. In addition,
a comprehensive list of all of the services offered should be located on one
page in order to make them easy to find and to increase citizens’
awareness of the available services.
For more information on this study, contact Darrell M. West of
Brown University at (401) 863-1163 or e-mail Darrell_West@brown.edu. The full Global
E-Government Study is online at www.insidepolitics.org. The appendix of
the report presents detailed profiles for each of the 198 national governments.
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