ESIS extension / Latvia / www Indicators / Update Memo 4

April 2000

Update: Latvia

During the first three months of the year 2000 some serious changes in the usage structure of the Web in Latvia have occurred that demonstrates a more commercial approach to the Internet.

The Latvia based on-line commercial sites are operating for a rather long time but only recently some of them began to allow online payments by credit cards. The first one started in November 1999 and is offering books: http://www.jr.lv/

and soon some other online shops followed in 2000 :

http://www.cdshop.lv/ or http://www.itirgus.lv/

This year also some activities in banking online business should be registered. The first online bank was opened in 1999 and it was Hansalink of Hansa Banka: http://www.hbl.lv/

During the first months of 2000 practically all the banks began to offer possibilities for online banking operations.

	Total number of "population" end of 1997	Total number of "population" end of 1998	Total number of Web sites	% of website/ total number of "population"
Primary and secondary schools	1110	1074	102	9.5
High schools and universities	33	33	18	54.5
National ministries	12	12	11	92
Regional and local authorities (regions, departments/ counties, municipalities)	532	532	44	8/3
Hospitals/clinics	156	150	6	4.0
Museums	96	124	96	77.4
Libraries	999	980	17	1.7

Sources:

For total number of "population" - Statistical yearbook of Latvia 1999. It contains information on the end of 1998.
For statistics of websites – Statistics of the academic computer network LATNET. March of 2000

Please note that this report has been prepared under the sole responsibility of the ESIS II contractors.
It does not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission, nor does the Commission accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information contained herein.
The ESIS Team of contractors welcomes any additional information or corrections.