Internet Penetration in Macedonia at 74 Percent and Growing

29 June 2007

According to the latest survey, conducted by Strategic Marketing and Media Resarch SMMRI, the number of users of internet in Macedonia has risen by 5% in 2006, to reach the level of internet penetration of 74 percent. The survey, Internet and Computer Use in Macedonia was organized by USAID�s Macedonia Connects Project.

Aleksandar Bilbilov from Macedonia Connects, emphasized that the falling prices of internet access is considered to be direct result of Macedonia Connects� efforts and activities. He also pointed out that the survey found that the digital gap between Skpoje and the rest of the country is closing.

He noted that only 17% of Macedonian households have access to internet, which ranks Macedonia in the penultimate place among the countries in the region, ahead of Albanian with 14%. In comparison, 59% of Slovenian households have internet access at home.

At the same time, 66% of internet users in Macedonian access the web from the privacy of their homes, 29% rely on internet cafes, 25% access it at school, 23 percent at work and at friends� homes.

In 2007, 47% of the population in the country used a computer and 32% used the internet, which is a slight rise compared to 2006, with 43 and 27 percent, respectively.

The complete survey results are available on the Macedonia Connects Website.