The digital divide and its impact on the development of Mediterranean countries

Abstract

Technology and access to technology is having a significant impact on cultural and economic development throughout the world, as reflected in globalization. The dramatic increase in communications, commercial interaction, and interdependence has made it necessary to implement new metrics to compare the development rate of nations and their economies. In response to this demand, the Human Development Index (HDI) was created in 1990. Nineteen years later in 2009, the ICT Development Index (IDI) also appeared on the scene. The IDI measures the development of information and communication technologies (ICT), and has become a valuable tool that is frequently used by governments, institutions, and researchers. This study analysed the relation between the HDI and IDI with a view to exploring how one index affected the other. The focus area of our study was the Mediterranean basin not only because of its rich historical tradition but also because of the economic and digital divide that separates countries bordering its shores.