Young Arabs More Connected in 2010:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Technology’s pivotal role in the change that swept the Arab world in late 2010 and early 2011 underscores how quickly its young people are gaining access to information and communication technology. Gallup surveys conducted before the unrest show 87% of 15- to 29-year-olds across the Arab League say they have cellular phone access, up from 79% in 2009. Home and community Internet access are up, too, but not nearly as much.

To read more, please click here.

“Cell phone access jumps in low- and middle-income countries”

By Julie Ray

Cell Phones

Young Arabs’ reported cellular phone access increased more than any other indicator the Silatech Index tracks. This shift creates opportunities for mass communication with this key demographic as well as possible business opportunities. Most of the growth is taking place in middle- and low-income countries, where young Arabs’ access to cell phones increased to 87% and 81%, respectively. At 98%, cellular phone access remains nearly universal in high-income countries.

Home Internet
Although Internet access did not increase as much as cellular phone access, a majority of young Arabs (62%) say they have access to the Internet in their communities, which broadens their access to all sorts of information, be it political, economic, educational, social, or job-search related. Young Arabs are more likely to say they have community Internet access than home access (22%), highlighting the particularly important roles that Internet cafes, schools, and other community hot spots play.

Young people in middle-income Arab countries gained more access to the Internet at home and in their communities in 2010, although they are still not as connected as young Arabs in high-income countries. Community access to the Internet for those in middle-income countries increased from 63% to 69%, and home access increased from 18% to 22%. Home Internet access increased as well in high- and low-income countries, but young Arabs in these countries reported somewhat lower community access in 2010. Access in low-income Arab countries significantly lags behind that in middle- and high-income countries, signaling that more investment in technology is needed to improve the flow of information in these countries.
To view the complete report, please click here.

The Arab World

There are 450 million people living in the Arab world and about 150 million more spread out in Europe and around the world.

The Arab world consistent of 22 countries and could be divided into 3 main distinctive sectors, 5 in Middle East, 10 in North Africa, and 7 in the Arabian Peninsula.