Information and Communications for Development 2009 : Extending Reach and Increasing Impact

Over the last decade, information and communication technologies (ICT) have been increasingly used to achieve development goals. Developing countries, including poorer ones, have enjoyed rapid technological progress to help pull millions of people out of poverty. ICTs help transform economic and social activities for firms, governments and citizens. Information and Communication for Development 2009: Scaling Up Impact, the second issue of the World Bank's IC4D series, focuses on the effect of increased access to advanced ICT services and development of a vibrant IT sector on sustaining growth of private firms and improving government service delivery in developing countries. It also analyses the role of ICT in connecting people to knowledge from around the world, providing new opportunities, promoting innovation and improving human capital. Policies, prevailing trends and best practices to maximize the development impact of ICT are also discussed and analyzed.Other highlights include: Tracking trends in global ICT development, with a focus on developing countries Analytical reflections on the public policy implications of the sector's rapid progress At-a-glance tables for 150 countries of the latest available data on usage and access, quality, affordability, efficiency and sustainability, ICT sector and trade, and ICT applications. ICT performance measures, on a scale from 1 to 10, for ready comparisons of 150 countries' ICT capacities, as well as for benchmarking their progress over time.