RAMALLAH, May 17, 2011 (WAFA) - Marking International Day of Information, the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) said Tuesday that about half of the Palestinian households in the West Bank and Gaza Strip had a computer during 2010. However, less than a third had an internet connection.
The percentage of households that have a computer in the Palestinian Territory in 2010 was 48.8%, of which 49.9% where in the West Bank and 46.6% in Gaza Strip, compared with about one quarter of households had computers in 2004, said the PCBS.
As for internet connection, the results showed that 29.1% of households in the Palestinian Territory in 2010 had an internet connection compared with 9.2% of households in 2004.
The percentage of households that have TV satellite connection in the Palestinian Territory in 2010 reached 91.4%, of which 91.6% in the West Bank and 90.9% in Gaza Strip, compared with about three quarters of households with satellite connection in 2004.
About 93.8% of households owned a mobile phone in the Palestinian Territory in 2010 compared with 72.8% in 2004. On the other hand, 45.5% of households in the Palestinian Territory had a phone line in 2010 compared with 40.8% in 2004. As for the West Bank, 48.5% of households had a phone line in 2010 compared with 39.7% in Gaza Strip.
About 9.1% of households in the Palestinian Territory in 2009 have at least one member who owned a website compared with one fifth of households had a member who owned a website in 2004.
More than half of the persons (10 years and over) in the Palestinian Territory used computer in 2009 compared with 35.7% in 2004. In addition, about one third of persons (10 years and over) in the Palestinian Territory in 2009 use internet (32.7% in the West Bank and 31.5% in Gaza Strip) compared with 11.9% in 2004. From gender perspective, variations exist in the use of Internet among males and females where 38.2% of males use the Internet compared to 26.2% for females.
About 87.9% of youths (15-29 years) in the Palestinian Territory use computers compared with 47.6% in 2004. From gender perspective, there is still a gap where 91.0% of male youth use computers compared with 84.4% for female youth in 2009. As for the use of internet, about 46.7% of youth in the Palestinian Territory in 2009 use the internet (53.0% for males and 40.2% for females) compared with 20.3% in 2004.
As for the purpose behind using the internet by youth in the Palestinian Territory in 2009, 87.3% of youth use the internet for information and knowledge, 68.2% for study-related purposes, 60.8% for communication, 75.1% for recreational purposes, while 11.8% of youth use the internet for work-related purposes.
About one third (32.9%) of youth in the Palestinian Territory own e-mail compared with only one fifth of youth in 2004.
Regarding mobile phones, about 63.2% of youth in the Palestinian Territory in 2009 owned mobile phones (72.7% for male youth and 53.3% for females) compared with 34.9% in 2004.
About 29.6% of establishments in the Palestinian Territory used computers in 2009 compared with 21.3% in 2007. In addition, about 20.4% of total establishments in 2009 used internet compared with 12.7% used Internet in 2007.
About 4.2% of total establishments in 2009 conducted electronic business transactions compared with 2.3% in 2007.
The number of researchers in research and development in the Palestinian Territory in 2009 was 2,512. The number of researchers according to the definition of Full-Time Equivalent reached 1,098. Studies comprised about 66.3% of the activities of Research and Development. Expenditure on research and development reached about 45.5 million in 2009.
M.A.
