29 sept 2023
Romania has made significant strides in terms of digital quality of life, ranking 14th globally and 13th in Europe this year, according to the latest Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index.
This remarkable improvement comes after the country held the 34th position in the previous year's rankings.
The DQL Index, developed by Surfshark and cited by G4Media, assesses factors influencing a country's digital well-being and identifies areas requiring attention for future improvements. It comprises five key criteria: internet accessibility and quality, electronic infrastructure, e-security, and e-governance.
Breaking down the criteria individually, Romania excels in internet accessibility, securing the 3rd spot globally, and boasts the 12th position for internet quality. However, it stands at 61st for e-infrastructure, 6th for e-security, and 62nd for e-governance.
In this year's rankings, Europe continues to dominate, with 29 of the top 50 countries worldwide hailing from the continent. The top 5 countries with the highest Digital Quality of Life are all in Europe, including France, Finland, Denmark, Germany, and Luxembourg. Only 19 of the top 50 countries are from outside Europe.
Moreover, the report highlights that the Internet has become more affordable globally, with people needing to work 11% less to afford a fixed internet subscription in 2023 compared to the previous year. Mobile internet has also become more accessible, with people requiring 26% less effort compared to 2022. This suggests that internet prices have not significantly risen with inflation.
Interestingly, despite Western Europe being the leader in DQL and the wealthiest sub-region globally, Northern Europe, with a 15% lower GDP per capita, surpasses North America in DQL. Meanwhile, Western Asia, despite having a GDP per capita 38% higher than the global average, lags behind in terms of DQL.
The report also underscores that several countries, including Romania, demonstrate higher levels of e-security, e-infrastructure, and e-governance compared to their GDP per capita. Investments in these areas remain crucial to ensure digital well-being for all citizens.
The DQL Index, conducted independently by Surfshark, a cybersecurity company registered in the Netherlands, is now in its fifth edition.
*Published on September 27, 2023, by Radu Dumitrescu* on www.romania-insider.com