UK climbs table of global IT users

UK up to 10th in World Economic Forum index

The UK has risen two 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 rise of three places last year, and means the UK has climbed to 10th place of 115 countries surveyed in the World Economic Forum's (WEF's) annual Networked Readiness Index released today.

The US has returned to the top of the table as the world’s most effective user of IT, having briefly lost its place to Singapore last year.

The Networked Readiness Index examines an economy’s use of IT in three areas: the macroeconomic, regulatory and infrastructure environment; the IT-readiness of individuals, businesses and governments; and actual use of the latest technologies.

‘Information and communication technologies presently represent one of the most important drivers in boosting efficiency and productivity in today’s fast changing global economy,’ said Augusto Lopez-Claros, director of the Global Competitiveness Network at the WEF and co-editor of The Global Information Technology Report 2005-2006.

‘The US’s impressive performance is driven by an outstanding IT physical infrastructure, a broadly supportive market environment and high levels of business and government usage of the latest technologies. It also continues to lead the world in technological innovation, helped by the excellent quality of its institutions of higher education and extensive levels of cooperation between its research centres and the business community.’

The UK ranks fifth in Europe, behind Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland. The UK peaked at seventh place in the global index two years ago.