Information
Society indicators
in the Member States of the EU
|
Information
Society indicators |
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1.1 EU overviewAt the end of 1999, the overall number of PCs could be estimated at 120.6 million within the European Union. This number grew by 13% between 1997 and 1998 and by 15% between 1998 and 1999. The average annual growth rate being 14% from 1997 to 1999. The share of business PCs can be estimated at 53% and 47% for home PCs.
Graph 26: Total number of home and business PCs in the European Union 1997-1999
The penetration rate of PCs (the number of PCs per 100 inhabitants) grew from 24% up to 34% between 1997 and 1999. This increase is mainly due to growth in the number of home PCs (18% annual average growth rate between 1997 and 1999); business PCs have seen an annual average growth rate of 11%.
Graph 27: Number of PCs per 100 inh. in the European Union 1997-1999
Gaps are important between the areas surveyed by ESIS: with a penetration rate of 34 PCs per 100 inhabitants, EU countries are far better equipped than Central and Eastern Europe countries (12 PCs per 100 inhabitants) and Mediterranean countries (3 PCs per 100 inhabitants).
Graph 28 : PCs penetration rate in the EU, CEE and mediterranean countries – End 1999
1.2 Breakdown by countries
Equipment rates differ depending on countries. Denmark, Luxembourg, Sweden and United Kingdom are well above the average while some countries are far behind (Greece, Spain, Ireland).
Graph 29: Total number of home and business PCs per 100 inh. in the European Union – End 1999
Main tendencies in EU :
- In the best equipped markets PCs are increasingly common; being more and more assimilated as consumption goods. Home PC penetration rates per 100 inh. are closely linked to penetration rates for televisions. For example, in Denmark and Sweden, home PC penetration rates are 33 and 31 per 100 inhabitants, not so far from the TV ones : 41 and 47 respectively,
- Less mature markets have seen important growth.
Graph 30: PCs penetration rate in the EU – Breakdown by country 1997-1999
Graph 31: PC penetration Growth rate in European Union – 1997 – 1999
Number of PCs per 100 inhabitants
PC penetration Growth rate in European Union – 1997
– 1999
Number of PCs per 100 inhabitants
|
End 1997 |
End 1998 |
End 1999 |
Growth rate: ‘97-’99 (%) |
|
|
Austria |
22 |
30 |
36 |
29 |
|
Belgium |
29 |
33 |
39 |
16 |
|
Denmark |
49 |
54 |
61 |
11 |
|
Finland |
29 |
32 |
40 |
17 |
|
France |
22 |
24 |
31 |
17 |
|
Germany |
25 |
32 |
36 |
20 |
|
United Kingdom |
45 |
47 |
49 |
4 |
|
Greece |
6 |
7 |
11 |
38 |
|
Ireland |
10 |
12 |
18 |
37 |
|
Italy |
17 |
18 |
20 |
8 |
|
Luxembourg |
- |
- |
52 |
- |
|
Netherlands |
29 |
32 |
35 |
9 |
|
Portugal |
14 |
18 |
22 |
24 |
|
Spain |
12 |
15 |
15 |
13 |
|
Sweden |
28 |
37 |
51 |
36 |
|
Average |
24 |
28 |
34 |
14 |
As could be expected, the trend in PC equipment shows strong links to Internet developments.
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All data have been collected from readily available public sources of information (annual reports and publications by regulatory bodies, professional associations, operators, etc.). This is not a scientific document, but rather seeks to identify the key trends. To this end, where necessary, estimations have been made.
Additional data and information sources are available in the country reports that can be found on the ESIS Knowledge Base (http://www.ispo.cec.be/esis).
