November 2000

Update: Estonia

During the last quarter stable development in the field of web pages continued. The representation increased in almost all categories, in some categories the number formally decreased (according to new statistic data the total number of organisations in several categories increased).

1. Introduction

According to the results of the survey 27.3% organisations under examination have web pages and compared to the first quarter of 2000 the increase has been 1.4%: in June 2000 25.9% of examined organisations had web pages. It has to be emphasised here that in connection with availability of new statistical data the total number of organisations has been determined and compared to the first quarter of 2000 the indicator increased from 1945 to 1961. Nevertheless compared with previous periods the increase in quantity has slowed down significantly.

According to the increase of representation growth following categories may be pointed out: 'Universities' (8.2%), 'Regional and local authorities' (6.1%) and 'Hospitals/clinics' (5.1%).

In remaining categories the level of representation stayed about the same except in category "Museums" in which the representation decreased by 6.5% because of significant growth in the total number of organisations.

Table 1. The number of web pages

* Reflect situation in 1999

** Hospitals only

Despite of not so significant changes in quantitative indicators the Estonian ESIS Team admits that the necessity for pithy, purposeful web pages is being realized. As an important positive trend the development of web pages, which up to now was mostly quantitative is becoming qualitative. WWW pages are becoming an important new tool in developing e-marketing and in developing organisational information environments. The long process of generating/forming pragmatically structured, comprehensive and user-friendly web pages has begun on larger scale than it was predicted in spring 2000. Certainly the rapid development of e-business has been a vital factor; comprehensiveness and use of web pages in companies’ activities has been an important matter of discussion. Such a progress is also supported by the lesser but stabile increase in the number of web pages (graph 1).

Graph1: The rate of organisations having web pages out of total number of organisations

2. Additional information about Estonian developments

2.1. The number of Internet users

BMF Gallup Media / AS Emor organise regular questionings (e-monitoring, twice a month, pool: 1000 people) with the purpose to study the Internet usage habits among the Estonian inhabitants. From the results of a survey published during the reference period it turns out:

• In the second quarter of 2000 84% of Estonian leaders and top level specialists used Internet for sending and receiving e-mail, 69% for reading Estonian Internet-based editions and about 50% used Internet banking. For purchasing products and services only 8% of leaders used Internet;

Of Estonians aged 15 to 74 35% used Internet during 6 months, at the same time the rate of Internet users among non-Estonians is only 16%. In the II quarter the rate of PC users among Estonians was 38% and PC owners 18%.