Fourth Annual Global e-Government Study
Taiwan, Singapore lead U.S. and Canada in online government
A study of digital government finds that 198 nations around the world are making steady progress at putting services and information online, but movement forward has been slowed because of budget, bureaucratic and institutional factors. The United States and Canada rank third and fourth behind Taiwan and Singapore. A table ranking the governmental Web efforts of 198 countries follows below.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A new study of global
e-government undertaken by researchers at Brown University shows that 21 percent
of government agencies around the world are offering online services, up from 16
percent in 2003, 12 percent in 2002, and 8 percent in 2001. Taiwan and Singapore
now lead the United States and Canada in overall e-government performance.
The fourth annual survey, conducted by Darrell M. West,
professor of political science and director of the Taubman Center for Public
Policy at Brown University, and a team of researchers at the Taubman Center,
measures the online presence of governments in 198 countries. The research
evaluates government Web sites on two dozen criteria, including the availability
of publications, databases, disability access, privacy, security, and the number
of online services. Previous studies of global e-government were released in
2001, 2002 and 2003.
This year’s study reviews 1,935 government Web sites
during June, July, and August 2004. Among the sites analyzed are those of
executive offices, legislative offices, judicial offices, cabinet offices and
major agencies serving crucial functions of government, such as health, human
services, taxation, education, interior, economic development, administration,
natural resources, foreign affairs, foreign investment, transportation,
military, tourism and business regulation.
Researchers find that 89 percent of Web sites have online
publications and 62 percent have links to databases. Only 14 percent (up from 12
percent in 2003) show privacy policies and 8 percent present security policies
(up from 6 percent in 2003). According to automated software provided by
Watchfire Inc., government Web sites are lagging on disability access. Only 14
percent of sites provide some form of disability access, such as assistance for
the vision- or hearing-impaired. That figure is unchanged since 2003.
In addition to looking at particular features, researchers also
rate countries for overall e-government performance. Using an assessment based
on the number of services plus access to information, disability access,
privacy, security and foreign language translation, they rate each country on a
100-point scale. The most highly ranked country is Taiwan, followed by
Singapore, the United States, Canada, Monaco, China and Australia. Some
countries had sizeable moves up from last year, based on new features added to
their Web sites. The following table shows how each of the world’s 198
countries ranks on e-government performance.
Fourth Annual Global e-Government Rankings
(Previous year’s rank and score are in parentheses)
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Rank | Country | Score | Rank | Country | Score
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1 | (5) | Taiwan | 44.3 (41.3) | 26 | (24) | Belgium | 31.3 (34.0) |
2 | (1) | Singapore | 43.8 (46.3) | 27 | (21) | Netherlands | 31.0 (34.3) |
3 | (2) | United States | 41.9 (45.3) | 28 | (27) | Czech Republic | 30.9 (33.8) |
4 | (3) | Canada | 40.3 (42.4) | 29 | (23) | Japan | 30.8 (34.2) |
5 | (166) | Monaco | 39.0 (24.5) | 30 | (62) | Saudi-Arabia | 30.7 (31.8) |
6 | (11) | China | 37.3 (35.9) | 31 | (13) | Denmark | 30.6 (35.5) |
7 | (4) | Australia | 36.7 (41.5) | 32 | (87) | South Korea | 30.5 (30.0) |
8 | (44) | Togo | 36.0 (32.0) | 33 | (76) | Kuwait | 30.1 (30.7) |
9 | (20) | Germany | 35.0 (34.4) |
34 | (95) | Ireland | 29.9 (29.4) |
10 | (185) | Iraq | 34.0 (24.0) | 35 | (62) | Sweden | 29.8 (31.8) |
11 | (19) | Hong Kong | 33.7 (34.5) | 36 | (75) | Jordan | 29.7 (30.8) |
12 | (13) | New Zealand | 33.6 (35.5) | 37 | (85) | India | 29.6 (30.1) |
13 | (34) | Italy | 33.2 (33.2) | 37 | (109) | Luxembourg | 29.6 (28.7) |
14 | (27) | Bahrain | 33.0 (33.8) | 37 | (30) | Mexico | 29.6 (33.7) |
14 | (149) | Dominica | 33.0 (26.7) | 40 | (44) | Chile | 29.2 (32.0) |
14 | (7) | Great Britain | 33.0 (37.7) | 41 | (13) | Finland | 29.1 (35.5) |
14 | (151) | Liechtenstein | 33.0 (26.5) | 42 | (119) | Iran | 29.0 (28.0) |
18 | (27) | France | 32.8 (33.8) | 42 | (76) | Lebanon | 29.0 (30.7) |
19 | (32) | Israel | 32.3 (33.3) | 42 | (17) | Maldives | 29.0 (35.2) |
20 | (119) | Bolivia | 32.0 (28.0) | 42 | (44) | Palau | 29.0 (32.0) |
20 | (184) | Indonesia | 32.0 (24.0) | 46 | (44) | Poland | 28.6 (32.2) |
20 | (191) | Marshall Islands | 32.0 (20.0) | 47 | (71) | Estonia | 28.5 (30.9) |
20 | (119) | Moldova | 32.0 (28.0) | 47 | (93) | Oman | 28.5 (29.8) |
20 | (119) | Saint Vincent, Grenadines | 32.0 (28.0) | 49 | (44) | Qatar | 28.3 (32.0) |
25 | (144) | Malta | 31.4 (27.6) | 49 | (44) | Uzbekistan | 28.3 (32.0) |
Rankings from 51 to 100:
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51 | (10) | Austria | 28.2 (36.0) | 76 | (68) | Peru | 26.7 (31.3) |
52 | (71) | Greece | 28.1 (30.9) | 77 | (70) | Cambodia | 26.5 (31.0) |
52 | (21) | Iceland | 28.1 (34.3) | 77 | (68) | Spain | 26.5 (31.3) |
54 | (44) | Belize | 28.0 (32.0) | 77 | (80) | Vietnam | 26.5 (30.5) |
54 | (119) | Egypt | 28.0 (28.0) | 80 | (119) | Panama | 26.4 (28.0) |
54 | (158) | Guyana | 28.0 (26.0) | 81 | (67) | Bulgaria | 26.3 (31.4) |
54 | (71) | Latvia | 28.0 (30.9) | 81 | (87) | Sudan | 26.3 (30.0) |
54 | (119) | Myanmar | 28.0 (28.0) | 83 | (99) | Andorra | 26.2 (29.3) |
54 | (44) | North Korea | 28.0 (32.0) | 83 | (8) | Malaysia | 26.2 (36.7) |
60 | (37) | Slovakia | 27.9 (32.8) | 85 | (118) | El Salvador | 26.1 (28.1) |
61 | (44) | Slovenia | 27.7 (32.0) | 86 | (119) | Afghanistan | 26.0 (28.0) |
62 | (13) | Philippines | 27.6 (35.5) | 86 | (178) | Congo (Republic) | 26.0 (24.0) |
62 | (11) | Switzerland | 27.6 (35.9) | 86 | (95) | Gambia | 26.0 (29.4) |
62 | (42) | Thailand | 27.6 (32.4) | 86 | (169) | Madagascar | 26.0 (24.0) |
62 | (6) | Turkey | 27.6 (38.3) | 86 | (119) | Mauritania | 26.0 (28.0) |
66 | (71) | Armenia | 27.5 (30.9) | 86 | (31) | Portugal | 26.0 (33.6) |
66 | (37) | Romania | 27.5 (32.8) | 86 | (9) | Vatican | 26.0 (36.5) |
66 | (43) | Serbia and Montenegro | 27.5 (32.3) | 93 | (66) | Ukraine | 25.8 (31.6) |
69 | (80) | Lithuania | 27.3 (30.5) | 94 | (112) | Mongolia | 25.7 (28.6) |
70 | (34) | Croatia | 27.2 (33.2) | 95 | (115) | Albania | 25.6 (28.3) |
71 | (44) | Bahamas | 27.0 (32.0) | 95 | (106) | Morocco | 25.6 (28.9) |
71 | (34) | Norway | 27.0 (33.2) | 97 | (92) | Hungary | 25.4 (29.9) |
71 | (18) | Saint Lucia | 27.0 (35.0) | 98 | (85) | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 25.3 (30.1) |
74 | (76) | Bangladesh | 26.8 (30.7) | 98 | (75) | Georgia | 25.3 (30.8) |
75 | (32) | Cyprus (Republic) | 26.8 (33.3) | 98 | (196) | Laos | 25.3 (19.0) |
Rankings from 101 to 150:
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101 | (87) | Botswana | 25.0 (30.0) | 126 | (65) | Djibouti | 23.6 (31.7) |
102 | (26) | Colombia | 24.8 (33.9) | 127 | (95) | Argentina | 23.5 (29.4) |
103 | (87) | Belarus | 24.7 (30.0) | 128 | (106) | Jamaica | 23.4 (28.9) |
104 | (102) | Pakistan | 24.6 (29.1) | 129 | (99) | Russian Federation | 23.3 (29.3) |
105 | (106) | Yemen | 24.5 (28.9) | 130 | (115) | Ecuador | 23.2 (28.3) |
106 | (95) | Brazil | 24.4 (29.4) | 130 | (41) | Nepal | 23.2 (32.5) |
107 | (103) | Barbados | 24.3 (29.0) | 130 | (44) | Tunisia | 23.2 (32.2) |
108 | (62) | South Africa | 24.2 (31.8) | 130 | (109) | Venezuela | 23.2 (28.7) |
109 | (145) | Arab Emirates | 24.0 (27.4) | 134 | (154) | Ghana | 23.0 (26.3) |
109 | (177) | Chad | 24.0 (24.0) | 134 | (167) | San Marino | 23.0 (24.2) |
109 | (119) | Comoros | 24.0 (28.0) | 136 | (119) | Algeria | 22.8 (28.0) |
109 | (44) | Cote d’Ivoire | 24.0 (32.0) | 136 | (83) | Fiji | 22.8 (30.4) |
109 | (119) | Cyprus (Turkish Republic) | 24.0 (28.0) | 138 | (157) | Zambia | 22.7 (26.1) |
109 | (109) | Dominican Republic | 24.0 (28.7) | 139 | (145) | Burkina Faso | 22.6 (27.4) |
109 | (84) | Ethiopia | 24.0 (30.3) | 140 | (37) | Brunei | 22.4 (32.8) |
109 | (114) | Kazakhstan | 24.0 (28.4) | 141 | (161) | Mozambique | 22.3 (25.5) |
109 | (168) | Libya | 24.0 (24.0) | 142 | (151) | Mauritius | 22.2 (26.5) |
109 | (119) | Macedonia | 24.0 (28.0) | 143 | (153) | Cape Verde | 22.0 (26.4) |
109 | (103) | Nigeria | 24.0 (29.0) | 143 | (179) | Cook Islands | 22.0 (24.0) |
109 | (119) | Niue | 24.0 (28.0) | 143 | (87) | Haiti | 22.0 (30.0) |
109 | (170) | Sierra Leone | 24.0 (24.0) | 143 | (119) | Mali | 22.0 (28.0) |
109 | (171) | Sri Lanka | 24.0 (24.0) | 143 | (164) | Swaziland | 22.0 (25.0) |
109 | (119) | Turkmenistan | 24.0 (28.0) | 143 | (173) | Zimbabwe | 22.0 (24.0) |
124 | (101) | Nicaragua | 23.9 (29.2) | 149 | (155) | Cuba | 21.8 (26.2) |
125 | (94) | Trinidad and Tobago | 23.8 (29.5) | 149 | (143) | Uganda | 21.8 (27.7) |
Rankings from 151 to 198:
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151 | (117) | Honduras | 21.7 (28.2) | 176 | (187) | Malawi | 19.3 (22.7) |
151 | (113) | Uruguay | 21.7 (28.5) | 176 | (119) | Seychelles | 19.3 (28.0) |
153 | (119) | Senegal | 21.6 (28.0) | 178 | (195) | Soloman Islands | 19.0 (19.2) |
154 | (119) | Guatemala | 21.3 (28.0) | 179 | (163) | Cameroon | 17.9 (25.1) |
155 | (149) | Paraguay | 21.2 (26.7) | 180 | (119) | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 17.3 (28.0) |
155 | (162) | Rwanda | 21.2 (25.3) | 181 | (175) | Bhutan | 17.0 (24.0) |
157 | (197) | Gabon | 21.0 (16.0) | 181 | (186) | Tanzania | 17.0 (23.3) |
158 | (164) | Grenada | 20.3 (25.0) | 183 | (190) | Lesotho | 16.7 (21.7) |
159 | (119) | Samoa | 20.2 (28.0) | 184 | (44) | Azerbaijan | 16.0 (32.0) |
160 | (181) | Angola | 20.0 (24.0) | 184 | (180) | Costa Rica | 16.0 (24.0) |
160 | (119) | Antigua and Barbados | 20.0 (28.0) | 184 | (182) | Equatorial Guinea | 16.0 (24.0) |
160 | (174) | Benin | 20.0 (24.0) | 184 | (80) | Micronesia | 16.0 (30.5) |
160 | (119) | Burundi | 20.0 (28.0) | 184 | (44) | Sao Tome and Principe | 16.0 (32.0) |
160 | (44) | Congo (Democratic Rep.) | 20.0 (32.0) | 184 | (191) | Suriname | 16.0 (20.0) |
160 | (40) | East Timor | 20.0 (32.6) | 184 | (172) | Tonga | 16.0 (24.0) |
160 | (187) | Guinea | 20.0 (22.7) | 184 | (191) | Vanuatu | 16.0 (20.0) |
160 | (103) | Guinea-Bissau | 20.0 (29.0) | 192 | (176) | Central Africa | 12.0 (24.0) |
160 | (160) | Kenya | 20.0 (25.7) | 192 | (183) | Eritrea | 12.0 (24.0) |
160 | (155) | Namibia | 20.0 (26.2) | 192 | (147) | Kiribati | 12.0 (27.0) |
160 | (158) | Niger | 20.0 (26.0) | 192 | (191) | Liberia | 12.0 (20.0) |
160 | (44) | Somaliland | 20.0 (32.0) | 192 | (197) | Nauru | 12.0 (16.0) |
160 | (44) | Syria | 20.0 (32.0) | 192 | (44) | Somalia | 12.0 (32.0) |
160 | (24) | Tajikistan | 20.0 (34.0) | 192 | (119) | Tuvalu | 12.0 (28.0) |
174 | (189) | Papau New Guinea | 19.9 (22.4) | |
175 | (148) | Kyrgyzstan | 19.4 (26.9) | |
In order to improve electronic government, the report suggests
that governments undertake several steps to reach their full potential for
accessibility and effectiveness. For example, sites for some nations include
links that don’t work. Other nations have links that take a long time to
load or lead users to incorrect sites.
Many sites are under construction or have not been updated for
long periods of time. Designers should attempt to keep the sites as current as
possible to ensure that all information presented is accurate and complete, the
report suggests. Furthermore, while many sites offer links to e-mail addresses,
several such links connected the visitor to an address of a webmaster as opposed
to an actual government official. This makes it difficult for citizens to
communicate with members of their government.
Sites that offer an A-to-Z index, provide a clear list of links
to agency or department Web pages, or organize their online services by agency
or function instead of one comprehensive list are more navigable and
user-friendly. Encountering an intricate and convoluted portal makes users less
likely to explore the site and be able to find desired information or online
services.
Web sites that are bilingual or multilingual are helpful to
facilitating accessibility, as long as the link actually takes the user to the
intended language. Links which automatically revert to the original language
frustrate users who use the translation service.
Researchers found that well-developed Web sites help users
explore and learn about the country. The biggest impediments to investigating a
government’s site are lack of organization, cluttered portals, technical
difficulties and language barriers. With some changes to the outline of their
sites, governments should be able to increase the accessibility and user
friendliness of their sites.
For more information on this study, contact Darrell West at
Brown University (401 863-1163) or e-mail [email protected]. The full
global e-government study is online at www.insidepolitics.org. The appendix of
that report presents detailed Web profiles for each of the 198 national
governments in the study.
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