The UAE, which currently has about nine million Internet users, leads the Middle East when it comes to the maturity of Internet economy, followed by Saudi Arabia, which moved up five positions in global ranking during 2015, report said.
The UAE’s score of 129 places is ahead of major countries such as China and Russia, explained the 2015 e-Intensity Index released by global management consultancy Boston Consulting Group, TradeArabia reported.
Since 2011, the UAE has moved up an impressive eight positions in the ranking. Today, the country ranks highest in terms of engagement–with a score of 121 and a ranking of six compared to 13, 20, and 42 in 2013, 2012, and 2011, respectively, the report said.
When it comes to enablement, the UAE achieved a score of 156 in 2015 and a ranking of 19–which means it has fallen six spots since 2013.
From an expenditure perspective, and with a score of 93, the country took the 45th place this year; it ranked 60th, 57th, and 56th in 2013, 2012, and 2011–in that exact order.
These figures further indicate that the UAE has all the essential elements of a thriving Internet economy–one powered by a comprehensive e-infrastructure, an established digital marketplace, high levels of Internet engagement, and wide access to technological innovations.
“The UAE’s e-Intensity Index ranking demonstrates that the country stands at the forefront of the ‘Internet of Things’ revolution,” explained Hermann Riedl, partner and managing director at BCG Middle East.
“In recent years, the UAE has continued to further advance its ‘Smart City’ agenda. And seamless, easy connectivity–between people, governments, businesses, and communities–is at the crux of any ‘Smart City’ initiative. Still, today, in the UAE, the Internet space is still rife with opportunities for growth. To maintain a solid e-Intensity Index ranking and a sustainable competitive advantage, the country will therefore have to boost its e-commerce prowess, fine-tune its innovation ecosystem, and keep delivering cutting-edge connectivity solutions.”
“And this in turn will create positive ripple effects throughout the UAE’s entire economy,” he added.
Since 2011, Saudi Arabia has moved up an impressive five positions in the ranking. Today, the country ranks highest in terms of engagement–with a score of 94 and a ranking of 36 compared to 33, 36 and 57 in 2013, 2012, and 2011, respectively.
When it comes to enablement, Saudi Arabia achieved a score of 107 in 2015 and a ranking of 41–which means it has fallen just one spot since 2011.
From an expenditure perspective, and with a score of 55, the country took the 57th place this year; it ranked 79th, 76th, and 74th in 2013, 2012, and 2011–in that exact order.
These figures further indicate that Saudi Arabia has all the essential elements of a thriving Internet economy – one powered by a comprehensive e-infrastructure, an established digital marketplace, high levels of Internet engagement, and wide access to technological innovations.
