Denmark boasts the worlds most networked economy, putting it and its Nordic neighbours in a good position to rebound from the current global downturn, the World Economic Forum (WEF) said on Thursday.
Sweden ranked second in the annual WEF Networked Readiness Index, sponsored by Cisco, which measures information and communications technology availability and use, such as access to mobile phone and Internet services.
The United States placed third, Singapore fourth and Switzerland fifth among the 134 economies listed in the index; poor states including Bangladesh, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Timor-Leste and Chad rated worst.
In the report, the WEF said that investing in telecoms infrastructure and services could help "general competitiveness and progress" and put countries on a better footing to take advantage of an eventual return to economic growth.
High-speed Internet should be now seen as "part of the basic infrastructure of any country and one of the foundations of the knowledge economy," the study said, urging countries ranked low on the index to do all they can to improve their connectivity.
"Mobile communications play a key role in developing economies, crucially facilitating economic growth and development," it said.
Following are some highlights from the index:
-- TOP 10: Denmark, Sweden, United States, Singapore, Switzerland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Netherlands, Canada
-- BOTTOM 10: Nicaragua, Cambodia, Nepal, Bolivia, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Burundi, Zimbabwe, Timor-Leste, Chad
-- EMERGING ASIA: China ranks 46th; India 54th
-- LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN: Barbados 36th; Chile 39th; Puerto Rico 42nd; Jamaica 53rd; Costa Rica 56th; Brazil 59th
-- SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: Mauritius 51st; South Africa 52nd
-- NORTHERN AFRICA: Tunisia 38th; Egypt 76th; Morocco 86th; Algeria 109th
-- MIDDLE EAST : Israel 25th; United Arab Emirates 27th; Qatar 29th; Bahrain 37th; Saudi Arabia 40th; Jordan 44th; Oman 50th; Kuwait 57th.
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