UK climbs chart of efficient IT users

The UK has risen three places in a major world ranking that analyses how well IT is used to develop a country's economy.

This year's increase follows a fall of eight places last year, and means the UK has climbed to 12th place of 104 countries surveyed in the World Economic Forum's (WEF's) annual Networked Readiness Index released last week.

The UK was ranked as the best country in the world in terms of the sophistication of its financial markets and ease of access to loans, while the quality of its lawmaking, venture capital, business schools and buyer sophistication were all highly rated. But the UK performed poorly in categories such as availability of scientists and engineers (34th), broadband adoption (25th), government success in the promotion of IT (38th) and quality of maths and science education (51st).

The report ranks Singapore as the world's must effective user of IT, with strong performance in a number of categories, such as the quality of its maths and science education, affordability of telecom access and government prioritisation of IT.

The US, which had occupied first place for the past three years, fell to number five in the ranking.

'It is clear that information and communication technologies (ICT) will continue to play a growing role in boosting the efficiency of the increasingly integrated global economy, enabling countries to improve resource allocation and boost growth prospects,' said report co-editor Augusto Lopez-Claros, director of the WEF's Global Competitiveness Programme.

'Singapore is an excellent example of a country that has been able to make enormous progress in a relatively short period of time in putting ICT at the service of improved living standards.'

Scandinavia continued its strong performance, with Finland, Denmark and Sweden all in the top 10, while Norway was ranked in 13th place.