Brown University’s seventh annual analysis of international e-government finds that many nations are improving services and providing information for users. The United States ranks fourth, behind South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Asian countries continue to dominate international e-government ratings, taking three of the top four spots in a global e-government study undertaken by researchers at Brown University. South Korea earned the top rank, followed by Singapore, Taiwan, the United States, Great Britain and Canada. The study shows that 28 percent of government agencies around the world are offering online services, about the same as in 2006.

The seventh annual survey conducted by Darrell M. West, director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy at Brown University, and a team of researchers evaluates online government Web sites of 198 countries around the globe. The researchers evaluated government Web sites based on two dozen criteria, including disability access, the existence of publications and databases, the presence of privacy policies, security policies, contact information, and the number of online services. Studies of global e-government have been released annually since 2001.

This year’s study reviews 1,687 government Web sites in 198 countries during June and July 2007. A variety of different sites were analyzed, including executive, legislative and judicial offices as well as departments and ministries of the government such as health, education, foreign affairs, interior, finance, natural resources, foreign investment, transportation, military, tourism and telecommunication.

Researchers found that 96 percent of Web sites have online publications and 80 percent have links to databases. Twenty-nine percent (up from 26 percent in 2006) show privacy policies and 21 percent present security policies (up from 14 percent in 2006). Software provided by the company Watchfire Inc. assesses whether Web sites provide assistance for the vision- or hearing-impaired. According to this software, government Web sites are still lagging on disability access. Only 23 percent of sites provide disability access, the same as last year.

In addition to analyzing particular features, researchers rated countries for overall e-government performance. By evaluating the two dozen criteria as well as other features, including PDA access, user fees, and foreign language translation, each country was rated on a 0 to 100 point scale. The following table gives the rankings of the 198 countries in 2007. Last year’s values are in parentheses.

Global e-Government: 198 Countries Ranked

Rankings from 1 to 50


   RANK    COUNTRY                RATING

  1.   (1) South Korea       74.9 (60.3)
  2.   (3) Singapore         54.0 (47.5)
  3.   (2) Taiwan            51.1 (49.8)
  4.   (4) United States     49.4 (47.4)
  5.   (6) Great Britain     44.3 (42.6)
  6.   (5) Canada            44.1 (43.5)
  7.  (48) Portugal          43.8 (31.3)
  8.  (12) Australia         43.5 (39.9)
  8.  (27) Turkey            43.5 (33.7)
 10.   (8) Germany           42.9 (41.5)
 11.   (7) Ireland           42.4 (41.9)
 12.  (16) Switzerland       42.3 (36.9)
 13.  (38) Brazil            41.1 (32.1)
 14.  (11) Dominica          41.0 (40.0)
 15.  (65) Bahrain           40.3 (29.6)
 16.  (40) Equator. Guinea   40.0 (32.0)
 16.  (32) Liechtenstein     40.0 (33.0)
 18. (133) Andorra           39.0 (24.0)
 19.  (14) New Zealand       38.4 (37.6)
 20.  (35) Italy             38.0 (32.9)
 21.  (10) Spain             37.7 (40.6)
 22.  (20) Hong Kong         37.5 (35.4)
 23.  (19) Finland           37.3 (35.6)
 24.  (30) Vatican           37.0 (33.5)
 25.  (36) Malaysia          36.9 (32.7)
        RANK   COUNTRY                RATING

     26.  (15) Netherlands         36.8 (37.4)
     27.  (46) Czech Rep.          36.7 (31.7)
     28. (106) Brunei              36.5 (26.8)
     29.  (84) Cyprus (Rep.)       36.4 (28.3)
     30.  (40) Liberia             36.0 (24.0)
     30.  (56) Austria             36.0 (30.6)
     30.  (17) Azerbaijan          36.0 (36.0)
     30. (143) Sierra Leone        36.0 (24.0)
     30.  (39) Bhutan              36.0 (32.0)
     30. (175) Costa Rica          36.0 (20.0)
     30.  (73) Eritrea             36.0 (29.0)
     30. (166) Ethiopia            36.0 (22.0)
     30. (137) Gabon               36.0 (24.0)
     30.  (17) North Korea         36.0 (36.0)
     40.   (9) Japan               35.9 (41.5)
     41.  (28) Malta               35.8 (33.6)
     42.  (23) France              35.6 (34.7)
     42.  (24) Qatar               35.6 (34.5)
     44.  (67) Israel              35.5 (29.4)
     45.  (88) Croatia             35.0 (28.0)
     46.  (51) Iceland             34.6 (31.1)
     47.  (77) India               34.2 (28.7)
     48.  (54) Peru                34.0 (30.8)
     48. (150) Zambia              34.0 (23.5)
     50.  (68) Mexico              33.9 (29.3)

Rankings from 51 to 99


   RANK    COUNTRY              RATING

 51.  (76) Peoples Rep. Chi  33.7 (28.8)
 52.  (66) Arab Emirates     33.6 (29.5)
 53. (119) Armenia           33.3 (25.3)
 53.  (58) Hungary           33.3 (30.5)
 55. (112) Argentina         33.1 (26.1)
 55. (104) Panama            33.1 (27.0)
 57.  (28) Kazakhstan        33.0 (33.6)
 58.  (80) Colombia          32.8 (28.6)
 58.  (50) Syria             32.8 (31.2)
 60.  (63) Poland            32.7 (30.1)
 60.  (13) Sweden            32.7 (38.3)
 62.  (21) Norway            32.4 (35.0)
 62.  (49) Serbia, Montgro   32.4 (31.2)
 64.  (44) Denmark           32.1 (31.8)
 64. (110) Jamaica           32.1 (26.4)
 64.  (55) Luxembourg        32.1 (30.7)
 67. (134) Bahamas           32.0 (24.0)
 67. (162) Botswana          32.0 (22.0)
 67.  (89) Cyprus (Turk.)    32.0 (28.0)
 67.  (90) Ghana             32.0 (28.0)
 67. (190) Grenada           32.0 (16.0)
 67.  (93) Guinea-Bissau     32.0 (28.0)
 67. (139) Guyana            32.0 (24.0)
 67.  (31) Libya             32.0 (33.0)
 67.  (41) Monaco            32.0 (32.0)
      RANK    COUNTRY              RATING

    67. (116) St. Vincent, Gren.32.0 (26.0)
    67.  (26) Swaziland         32.0 (34.0)
    67.  (97) Tajikistan        32.0 (28.0)
    79.  (81) Kuwait            31.9 (28.5)
    80.  (79) Lebanon           31.5 (28.7)
    81.  (61) Egypt             31.3 (30.2)
    81.  (45) Slovenia          31.3 (31.8)
    83. (101) East Timor        31.2 (27.4)
    84. (100) Kenya             31.2 (27.5)
    85. (161) Belize            31.0 (22.0)
    85. (113) Bulgaria          31.0 (26.0)
    85. (155) Cambodia          31.0 (23.2)
    85.  (34) Chile             31.0 (32.9)
    89.  (85) Oman              30.9 (28.1)
    89.  (98) Saudi Arabia      30.9 (27.9)
    89. (126) Vietnam           30.9 (25.0)
    92.  (82) Belgium           30.8 (28.4)
    92.  (92) Guatemala         30.8 (28.0)
    92. (152) Trinidad, Tobago  30.8 (23.4)
    95. (102) Iran              30.7 (27.3)
    96.  (59) Philippines       30.5 (30.4)
    97. (145) St. Kitts, Nevis  30.3 (24.0)
    98.  (62) Romania           30.1 (30.2)
    99. (163) Cape Verde        30.0 (22.0)
    99. (164) Cook Islands      30.0 (22.0)

Rankings from 99 to 150


   RANK    COUNTRY                RATING

 99. (188) Lesotho             30.0 (16.7)
 99. (146) Suriname            30.0 (24.0)
103.  (71) Bosnia, Herze.      29.8 (29.1)
103.  (37) Slovakia            29.8 (32.3)
105. (148) Antigua, Barb.      29.7 (23.7)
106.  (78) Jordan              29.6 (28.7)
106.  (74) Maldives            29.6 (29.0)
106.  (60) Nepal               29.6 (30.3)
109. (129) San Marino          29.3 (24.3)
110. (125) Congo (Rep.)        29.0 (25.0)
110.  (57) Latvia              29.0 (30.6)
110.  (53) Saint Lucia         29.0 (31.0)
110. (183) Vanuatu             29.0 (20.0)
114.  (83) Lithuania           28.7 (28.3)
115.  (22) Ukraine             28.4 (35.0)
115. (131) Uruguay             28.4 (24.2)
117.  (52) Nigeria             28.3 (31.1)
118. (132) Albania             28.0 (24.0)
118. (107) Angola              28.0 (26.7)
123. (173) Barbados            28.0 (20.0)
118.  (25) Estonia             28.0 (34.0)
118. (135) Congo (Dem. Rep.)   28.0 (24.0)
118. (138) Gambia              28.0 (24.0)
118.  (94) Haiti               28.0 (28.0)
118. (130) Iraq                28.0 (27.0)
      RANK    COUNTRY              RATING 

   118. (159) Kyrgyzstan        28.0 (22.4)
   118. (169) Micronesia        28.0 (21.0)
   118.  (75) Mongolia          28.0 (29.0)
   118. (142) Mozambique        28.0 (24.0)
   118. (180) Niue              28.0 (20.0)
   118. (167) Samoa             28.0 (22.0)
   118.  (96) Sri Lanka         28.0 (28.0)
   133. (130) Morocco           27.8 (24.2)
   133.  (43) Russian Fed.      27.8 (31.9)
   135.  (72) Pakistan          27.7 (29.1)
   135.  (70) South Africa      27.7 (29.2)
   137.  (99) Ecuador           27.6 (27.5)
   138.  (91) Greece            27.1 (28.0)
   139.  (47) Georgia           27.0 (31.4)
   139. (123) Paraguay          27.0 (25.3)
   141. (121) Fiji              26.8 (25.3)
   142. (107) Afghanistan       26.7 (26.7)
   142. (109) Benin             26.7 (26.7)
   142.  (69) Sudan             26.7 (29.3)
   142. (117) Zimbabwe          26.7 (26.0)
   146. (158) Uganda            26.2 (22.5)
   147.  (64) Belarus           26.0 (30.0)
   147. (165) Dominican Rep.    26.0 (22.0)
   147. (177) Madagascar        26.0 (20.0)
   150. (124) Senegal           25.7 (25.1)

Rankings from 150 to 198


   RANK    COUNTRY              RATING

150. (105) Uzbekistan        25.7 (27.0)
152. (120) El Salvador       25.6 (25.3)
153. (115) Nicaragua         25.2 (26.0)
154. (160) Djibouti          24.9 (22.1)
155.  (86) Bangladesh        24.7 (28.0)
155. (149) Mauritius         24.7 (23.7)
155. (118) Seychelles        24.7 (25.5)
158. (128) Algeria           24.6 (30.3)
159. (156) Venezuela         24.3 (23.2)
160.  (87) Bolivia           24.0 (28.0)
160. (198) Burundi           24.0  (8.0)
160. (136) Cote d'Ivoire     24.0 (24.0)
160. (157) Cuba              24.0 (22.7)
160. (176) Indonesia         24.0 (20.0)
160. (178) Mali              24.0 (20.0)
160. (195) Naura             24.0 (16.0)
160. (181) Palau             24.0 (20.0)
160. (185) Soloman Is.       24.0 (18.0)
160. (144) Somalia           24.0 (24.0)
160. (193) Togo              24.0 (16.0)
171. (171) Honduras          23.0 (20.8)
172. (153) Yemen             22.9 (23.4)
173. (197) Chad              22.7  (9.0)
173. (172) Malawi            22.7 (20.7)
   RANK       COUNTRY              RATING

   175. (111) Tunisia           22.4 (26.4)
   176.  (95) Laos              22.0 (28.0)
   177. (154) Rwanda            21.9 (23.3)
   178. (151) Thailand          21.7 (23.4)
   179. (168) Namibia           21.5 (21.4)
   180. (184) Cameroon          21.3 (19.0)
   181. (187) Burkina Faso      20.0 (17.0)
   181. (189) Cen. Africa Rep   20.0 (16.0)
   181.  (33) Macedonia         20.0 (33.0)
   181. (126) Marshall Is.      20.0 (25.0)
   181. (141) Moldova           20.0 (24.0)
   181. (122) Myanmar           20.0 (25.3)
   181. (179) Niger             20.0 (20.0)
   181. (170) Papua N. Guinea   20.0 (21.0)
   181. (192) Sao Tome, Princ.  20.0 (16.0)
   181. (182) Somaliland        20.0 (20.0)
   181. (194) Tonga             20.0 (16.0)
   181. (147) Turkmanistan      20.0 (24.0)
   193. (187) Tanzania          18.3 (17.5)
   194. (114) Mauritania        18.0 (26.0)
   195.  (39) Tuvalu            16.0 (32.0)
   196. (174) Comoros           12.0 (20.0)
   196. (191) Guinea            12.0 (16.0)
   198. (195) Kiribati           8.0 (12.0)


In order to improve electronic government, the report suggests that governments take several steps to reach their full potential in terms of accessibility and effectiveness. The ultimate goal of e-government is to provide citizens with services, information, and interactive features. To this end, sites need to be well-designed, easy to navigate, and accessible to a wide variety of users. The researchers suggest the following steps be undertaken:

  • standardize templates with consistent navigation;
  • have accessibility aids;
  • list when pages are updated;
  • organize pages by user type;
  • create “most popular” lists;
  • have an online services menu; and
  • have interactive technical assistance.

For more information on this study, contact Darrell M. West at (401) 863-1163 or e-mail [email protected]. The full Global e-Government Study is available online at www.insidepolitics.org. The appendix of that report presents detailed profiles for each of the 198 national governments.