Esis Extension / Mediterranean Countries / www Indicators / Synthesis 1999

February 2001

Mediterranean Countries
Synthesis 1999 - 2000

This is the final WWW Indicators report on Mediterranean countries as the ESIS project ended in January 2001. It covers the whole period of the ESIS project surveying the Mediterranean Area.

Introduction

The following report provides an estimation of the number of Web sites developed by relevant categories of actors in the Mediterranean countries. The 7 categories under study are : Primary and secondary schools; higher educational schools and universities; National ministries; Regional and local authorities (regions, departments/counties, municipalities); Hospitals/clinics; museums; Libraries (word of caution).

Different levels of equipment exist depending on categories and depending on the countries. Therefore this synthesis is composed of four parts:

Part 1: classification based on the level of web sites equipment by category ranging from Low to High.
Part 2: synthesis per country relating main tendencies and a short explanation.
Part 3: percentage of websites per category in the Mediterranean Countries
Part 4: comparison of the evolution of web sites in different categories from Q1 (July 1999) to Q7 (January 2001)

What is interesting to note is that most of the countries experienced a slight but constant growth in the majority of categories. Some of them, then, have shown sustained growth rates. Then two or three recurrent categories are usually considered as priorities.

At last what is important to take in consideration is that this web sites level of equipment analysis gives a picture of the equipment in public institutions only, privates sectors being not considered. Evaluation of the level of equipment of a country has therefore to be considered cautiously.

1. Web Sites spreads and categories

This part consists of giving an overview of Web Sites evolution through the past 7 quarters, from July 1999 to January 2001.

First, we can notice that the level of Web Sites equipment is very heterogeneous depending on the category. We distinguish low, intermediate and highly equipped categories.

Low level of equipment	Primary and Secondary schools Hospitals/Clinics Libraries
Intermediate level of equipment	High Schools & Universities Regional & Local Authorities Museums
High level of equipment	Ministries is the most equipped category.

Note that it is important to consider these categories cautiously, due to the high level of heterogeneity of countries.

Here below is an insight of countries being part of these three categories :

1.1 Low level of equipment:

Primary & Secondary schools : We can notice that most of the Mediterranean countries are under equipped in terms of Web Sites, all of them being under 6% of equipment. Only Israel showed a dramatic rise from 3.5% in July 99 up to 18% in January 01.

Hospitals/Clinics: As for the previous category, most of the countries are under equipped with equipment rates located under 10%. Two countries, Malta and Morocco have shown higher rates through the seven periods. To be noted that Morocco has experienced a sustained pace going from 5 to 25% over the seven periods.

Libraries: At last, this category is also mainly under equipped in the whole of Mediterranean countries, with rates ranging under 10% for most of the countries, except Algeria which has been showing a 40% steady rate for four periods.

1.2 Intermediate level of equipment:

High Schools & Universities: This category is very heterogeneous even if it seems the majority of countries have taken into account stakes of the web. We distinguish three rather heterogeneous groups. A first group of four countries, Lebanon, Morocco, Israel and Turkey, located above 50% rate of equipment. Then 5 others countries are located between a 20 and a 50% rate of equipment : Palestine, Cyprus, Tunisia, Algeria and Jordan. Note that Jordan experienced the strongest growth over the 7 periods, increasing from 7 up to 22% . Others remaining countries are under equipped in this category, with an under 10% rate.

Regional & Local Authorities: One country, Israel is fully equipped, having experienced a huge jump over the 4^th quarter. Then Algeria has shown a constant rise over the 7 periods up to a 33.33% rate. Malta with a steady 20% rate is also at an intermediate level of equipment. At last all the other countries are under equipped with rates ranging under 12%.

Museums: Lebanon and Tunisia are the two countries showing the high level of equipment, with respectively 75 and 60% rates. Algeria, Turkey and Malta are located to intermediate levels : Note that Turkey experienced the most sustained growth rising from 3.5% in July 99 up to 31% in January 01. Other countries are all located under 11%.

1.3 High level of equipment:

Ministries: This category has been the first category to be equipped in the whole of the Mediterranean countries and is also the fullest equipped one. Half of the countries are located above a 50% rate of equipment, Morocco even relating a 140% equipment rate. Five countries, Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, Turkey and Tunisia tend to be fully equipped, Lebanon by almost 80%. Nevertheless remaining countries are all located under 50, Malta and Syria being the least equipped ones.

2. Web characteristics by country

Algeria : Algeria has experienced a constant growth over the period of observation in the whole of the categories particularly in the High Schools & Universities category, in the Regional & Local Authorities’ one and at last in the Museum category. Algeria is mainly located at the intermediate level of equipment considering public institutions. According to CERIST (in charge of collecting data) budgets and technical infrastructures are too scarce mostly for primary and secondary schools, hospitals/clinics and libraries. Schools are then scattered in rural areas and not yet really aware of the importance of their own web site.

Cyprus : Cyprus has seen over these periods sharp changes both in the educational category and in the Hospitals/Clinics’ one. Concerning the high school & universities category, the rapidly growing level of PC with the expansion of the Internet added to the government’s effort to promote its use explains this sustained growth. Note nevertheless that except for the Ministries category, Cyprus is a Low equipped country located at an intermediate level among the Mediterranean countries considering public institutions.

Egypt : Egypt counts 265 institutional web sites among which the majority is owned by Regional and Local Authorities. In terms of rate of penetration we can notice that National Ministries category has the highest level of equipment with 37,5%, its evolution being quite steady through the seven quarter of observation. Universities category, in spite of a strong growth through the period of observation remains with a very low rate of equipment compared to other Mediterranean countries. Libraries and Museums, in spite of representing a large proportion of Web Sites are also under equipped with rates under 10%. To conclude, even if Egypt and its incumbent operator make a lot to promote the Internet usage (200 000 users, 2 million planned at end 2001), efforts need to be done to reach a good level of Web Sites equipment.

Israel : Israel is one of the countries having the highest rate of penetration considering web sites in the whole of public categories. Except three categories being Primary & Secondary schools, Museums and Libraries, all others categories have penetration rates higher than 50%. Note that even with a rate equal to 17%, Primary & Secondary Schools category remains by far the best equipped, with the highest growth rate, compared to others Mediterranean countries. Regional & Local Authorities category is also the best equipped compared to others countries. Note at last the outstanding penetration rate (52%) related to the Hospitals/clinics which is the highest amongst others Mediterranean countries. To sum up Israel is one of if not the leading Mediterranean country in all categories except the Libraries one.

Jordan : Developing the IT sector is a priority of Jordan to participate to liberalisation reforms led in the country. National Ministries and High Schools & Universities categories are two categories being the most equipped, National Ministries being fully equipped, the High Schools & Universities category having experienced the fastest growth over the period observed. Nevertheless, even if significant actions are in progress to develop the Internet, and that private sector tends to be more equipped, Jordan is currently one of the lowest equipped Mediterranean country considering public institutions.

Lebanon : Lebanon has seen in all categories a constant rise of equipment during the seven periods of observation. High schools & Universities, National Ministries and Museums are the most equipped categories. All universities aren’t connected due to the youth of some and to the unconventional kind of others. All Ministries aren’t connected either due to the lack of competence or to other priorities. Lebanon seems to be if not the most, one of the most equipped Mediterranean country considering public institutions.

Malta : Malta is one of the least equipped country amongst the Mediterranean ones. Indeed, except the Hospital/clinics (20%) category which is one of the highest compared to others countries, all other categories are under the average. Note that the penetration within the Primary and Secondary Schools category is mainly due to the selves initiatives of concerned schools. The project expected for 2 years to introduce access in all public schools was finally signed in November 2000.

Morocco : Morocco has experienced constant sustained growth in the Universities, National Ministries, and Hospitals/Clinics categories. National Ministries category seems even to be over-equipped in terms of web sites with a 136% rate. 75% of universities are currently equipped. Then with a 25% equipment rate in the Hospitals/Clinics category Morocco is very well equipped amongst Mediterranean countries considering public institutions. Nonetheless some others categories as Primary & Secondary Schools and Regional and local Authorities are really under equipped.

Palestine : Developing IT services with its own infrastructure is become a top priority for Palestine. High Schools & Universities category and National Ministries category were two categories on which the emphasis was made by the Palestinian Authorities. The first category experienced a slight increase and the second fluctuations due to the redevelopment of certain ministerial sites. Note that even if no dramatic change has occurred over this period, significant changes concerning the private sector are in progress (not mentioned in this report). Palestine currently is to be the country with the lowest penetration rate on web sites within public institutions.

Syria : Syria is one of the least Web Sites equipped Mediterranean country with the maximum equipment rate being equal to 35% only for National Ministries category. Note that except Universities category which has a penetration rate equal to 25% all others categories don’t count any web site. This is explained by the very scarce development of Internet in the country, due to the presence of only two public ISPs, Syrian Computer Society (SCS) and Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE). Possibilities of hosting depend only on these two ISPs and are limited to their own subscribers. Then limited expertise exists in Syria and Internet is not enough spread to enable further Web Sites developments. Note that once the backbone will be available by mid 2001, the Internet Expansion is expected to be far more rapid.

Tunisia : Tunisia places great importance of being at the forefront of IT developments. High Schools & Universities and National Ministries categories both the priority for the country. Note that no change really happened in terms of equipment through the period observed. Museums are particularly well equipped compared to others Mediterranean countries. Tunisia is located at an intermediate level among Mediterranean countries in general and considering public institutions.

Turkey : Turkey has experienced a constant sustained growth through the period of observation, the highest rates being for Primary & Secondary Schools and for Museums, rates of equipment having respectively been multiplied by 3 and by 9. Note nevertheless that the first category category is still under equipped (0,5%). The strong increase in Museums category is due to the dynamic policy led by the Ministry of Culture and to the low number of museums. Higher Schools & Universities and National Ministries categories are then the most equipped categories being now fully equipped, due to the high level of importance of theses institutions. Turkey in the overall is at an intermediate level among the Mediterranean countries.

3. Percentage of websites per category in the Mediterranean Countries

* 100% appears on the country related evolution graph. Note that the result from the operation between brackets equals 51%.

	Primary and secondary schools	High schools and universities	National ministries	Regional and local authorities	Hospitals / clinics	Museums	Libraries
Algeria	0%	28%	47%	33%	1%	31%	3%
Cyprus	6%	38%	100%	n.a	8%	11%	1%
Egypt	n.a	7%	38%	n.a	n.a	8%	6%
Israel	4%	4%	9%	15%	17%	17%	17%
Jordan	0%	22%	100%	0%	7%	0%	0%
Lebanon	3%	74%	73%	12%	8%	75%	40%
Malta	6%	4%	35%	21%	20%	21%	2%
Morocco	0%	75%	136%	1%	25%	n.s	n.a
Palestine	0%	36%	29%	8%	4%	0%	6%
Syria	0%	25%	35%	0%	0%	0%	0%
Tunisia	1%	33%	96%	0%	0%	60%	0%
Turkey	1%	100%	100%	4%	6%	30%	8%

4. Comparison of the evolution of web sites in different categories from Q1 (July 1999) to Q7 (January 2001)

Word of caution

The notion High Schools does not correspond to the US notion. High Schools are all superior schools belonging to the category of Higher Education, as there are e.g. Technical Universities, Business Schools or other education establishments corresponding to universities with students over ~ 20 years of age.
Regional and local authorities: where local authorities do not exist as elected "decentralised bodies", we include administrative units in charge of local and regional affairs, even if they are linked to the organisation of the state. For example, mayors, even if not directly elected, are included.
Hospitals and clinics: this category comprises larger hospitals and clinics, be they public or private. Smaller health units are counted, as they are unlikely to have websites and their inclusion would distort the overall picture.

Important :
the data must be considered with care and only as estimates and general indications. In fact, there are no central bodies allowing a "scientific" monitoring and the comparison between the countries is difficult due to this situation and also to the disparities of the national organisational systems (for example, number of cities).