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Ranking Countries By Digital Quality of Life in 2022

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Ranking Countries By Digital Quality of Life in 2022

Life and work in the 21st century is increasingly reliant on modern technology, with a country’s digital quality of life playing a massive role on people’s day-to-day.

Some countries excel in internet access and affordability, while others have more modern digital systems and relevant laws. And many regions of the world suffer with lacking digital infrastructure and access across the board.

The 2022 Digital Quality of Life Index (DQL) from Surfshark analyzes countries on digital wellbeing, based on data from the UN, World Bank, Freedom House, and the International Communications Union.

5 Metrics for Measuring Digital Wellbeing

The DQL Index covers 117 countries with readily available data, making up 92% of the global population. Each country is scored on five pillars:

  • Internet Affordability—How much time people have to work to afford a stable internet connection.
  • Internet Quality—How fast and stable the internet connectivity in a country is and how well it’s improving.
  • Electronic Infrastructure—How well developed and inclusive a country’s existing electronic infrastructure is.
  • Electronic Security—How safe and protected people feel in a country.
  • Electronic Government—How advanced and digitized a country’s government services are.

Visualizing The World’s Digital Quality of Life

Overall, Europe and Asia led the digital quality of life rankings in 2022. Israel took the top spot with an incredibly strong score in internet affordability. Here are the countries sorted by rankings and their weighted scores in each category:

RankCountryAffordabilityQualityE-infrastructureE-securityE-government
1Israel0.19170.09810.16680.15030.1541
2Denmark0.0470.11860.19680.18780.1844
3Germany0.07180.09260.19220.19460.1612
4France0.05340.1110.18340.18780.1749
5Sweden0.02130.10590.19580.18780.1787
6Netherlands0.02410.09850.19560.18650.1796
7Finland0.01710.09730.1920.18920.1869
8Japan0.06840.10240.18460.14620.177
9U.K.0.04130.08980.18820.16110.188
10South Korea0.02520.11390.18840.15160.1868
11Lithuania0.05080.0870.17050.19730.1592
12U.S.0.03260.1130.19440.12240.1947
13Switzerland0.03370.11140.19140.15970.1607
14Estonia0.02190.07590.18520.19460.1779
15Singapore0.07170.11340.18520.09430.19
16Spain0.02570.09240.17770.19190.1656
17Norway0.01360.09230.1940.16490.174
18Luxembourg0.02720.09110.18780.16890.1597
19Italy0.03620.0820.17330.18240.159
20Portugal0.00850.11010.15760.19320.1565
21Belgium0.01620.08680.18230.19730.1409
22Austria0.02790.07170.17820.17160.1719
23Poland0.02420.08690.15660.19050.1568
24Ireland0.02170.08740.17990.16620.1596
25Czechia0.0230.07550.17070.1960.1472
26Canada0.02280.09670.18310.12890.1723
27Hungary0.02060.10460.16470.16760.1425
28New Zealand0.01660.10270.17310.13410.1702
29Slovakia0.02330.08070.1610.18650.1417
30Bulgaria0.03080.10250.13520.1770.1452
31Croatia0.01330.09110.16250.18650.1346
32Slovenia0.01020.09340.16190.16220.1591
33Latvia0.02350.09180.16280.17840.1289
34Romania0.02990.1050.14270.17430.1327
35Australia0.04530.07060.17550.10890.1802
36Malta0.01040.0930.16390.15270.1547
37Cyprus0.01390.07180.15890.16890.1548
38Malaysia0.03190.08380.16360.12240.1561
39Greece0.00850.07130.1420.20.1344
40Chile0.02510.12020.14690.10220.1538
41Uruguay0.00510.10540.15690.130.1498
42Russia0.05560.07940.15120.09430.152
43China0.02410.10450.14850.07410.175
44U.A.E.0.00710.11480.17790.04190.1712
45Argentina0.00730.06940.15750.130.1464
46Qatar0.00770.10770.17050.08080.1421
47Armenia0.10090.070.13560.07650.1221
48Serbia0.01840.07390.13870.12380.1429
49Thailand0.00810.10450.1510.08760.1391
50Ukraine0.02590.05810.16130.11840.1256
51Saudi Arabia0.00570.08730.16350.08650.1408
52Turkey0.01530.06790.15260.09680.1488
53Brazil0.00780.08840.13880.06860.1558
54Moldova0.03570.06870.13590.09270.1226
55Philippines0.00440.07790.13710.10620.1265
56Bahrain0.00840.08780.1660.0470.1396
57Colombia0.00510.07750.12480.09540.1433
58Costa Rica0.00420.07210.15230.09540.1206
59India0.02660.0710.11490.08220.1489
60N. Macedonia0.00950.06840.14090.09810.1237
61Kazakhstan0.01850.06390.14080.070.1473
62Mexico0.01110.06880.12910.07920.142
63Paraguay0.00910.07240.14240.08620.113
64Albania0.00870.05670.13130.090.1328
65Oman0.00530.0650.14550.04730.1502
66South Africa0.01980.06890.11710.07780.1294
67Georgia0.00970.05770.14080.09410.1103
68Mauritius0.01490.04590.13110.090.1298
69Belarus0.02240.0680.13960.05540.123
70Vietnam0.01450.07120.13960.05780.1241
71Morocco0.00680.06030.12470.1130.1004
72Indonesia0.00640.06390.13820.06050.1342
73Peru0.00370.0690.1260.08190.1213
74Azerbaijan0.00930.06180.13610.05920.1253
75Montenegro0.01490.05660.13390.07650.1064
76Bangladesh0.0240.06810.12040.07030.1021
77Tunisia0.0110.04840.12250.08860.1142
78Kenya0.00470.04920.13910.07140.1193
79Dominican Republic0.00470.05970.11630.07540.1229
80Bosnia and Herzegovina0.01270.06340.13530.06970.0974
81Panama0.00320.08510.12790.050.1111
82Ecuador0.00450.06560.1320.03650.1256
83Trinidad and Tobago0.00940.06220.12770.05510.1074
84Iran0.01490.05850.14820.01490.1113
85Egypt0.00640.05830.10980.05950.1135
86Nigeria0.00140.05520.11870.07680.0916
87Jordan0.00480.07540.14340.02970.0862
88Ghana0.00250.05310.09570.07240.1091
89Sri Lanka0.00710.06580.09430.04460.1184
90Mongolia0.0150.0590.1350.01890.0951
91Kyrgyzstan0.01050.06030.09860.04570.1074
92Algeria0.0050.06010.13120.05510.0707
93Bolivia0.00510.05830.12870.03240.0941
94Nepal0.00690.06840.11320.04970.0762
95Senegal0.00360.0550.10480.06030.0906
96Pakistan0.0060.06160.09380.04460.1015
97Jamaica0.00470.05840.1130.04320.0859
98Uganda0.00070.04890.07770.07680.0943
99El Salvador0.00280.06620.10660.02570.0944
100Ivory Coast0.00060.04650.08810.07240.0869
101Cambodia0.00430.06310.11780.01620.0831
102Mali0.00110.05480.09690.06030.0689
103Namibia0.00460.05170.09550.03220.0899
104Guatemala0.00290.0590.08770.02570.0878
105Zambia0.00340.02410.09350.07810.0613
106Botswana0.00510.05230.09770.0230.0777
107Tanzania0.00210.05170.08130.02570.0924
108Honduras0.0040.06750.08380.01080.0861
109Zimbabwe0.00190.0340.09070.03620.0854
110Angola0.00470.05670.05760.04950.0748
111Laos0.00660.04890.09550.01890.059
112Tajikistan0.01080.04850.0730.01080.0754
113Cameroon0.00140.01780.0730.03380.0832
114Mozambique0.00210.03780.05260.02950.0815
115Ethiopia0.00320.04720.0480.03380.0682
116Yemen0.0070.06440.04790.00810.0527
117Congo DR0.00630.05960.04460.00270.0394

Overall, 15 of the top 20 highest-scoring countries were located in Europe, including #2 Denmark and #3 Germany, reflecting the region’s strong scores in electronic infrastructure and security.

In addition to Israel, the Asia region was represented at the top by #8 Japan, #10 South Korea, and #15 Singapore. The only non-Asian and non-European country to make the top 20 was the United States at #12.

mapping the 2022 digital quality of life index

GDP’s Impact on Digital Infrastructure

Of the 117 countries that had data available for the index, the majority of the lowest-ranking countries were in Africa or Asia. This includes the bottom five: Cameroon, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Yemen, and DR Congo.

In fact, when the DQL Index was charted against GDP per capita, a clear and unsurprising trend emerges:

Comparing digital quality of life to GDP in 2022

As countries have to grapple with limited resources and capital for increasing their digital wellbeing, we can see different priorities emerge. For example. many countries scored poorly on internet affordability and electronic government while prioritizing investments in internet quality and electronic infrastructure.

And despite the proliferation of mobile phones across the world, more countries were able to set up stable broadband internet over mobile internet.

mobile vs broadband internet availability in the DQL 2022

To find out more interesting insights, dive in to the full Digital Quality of Life Index.

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This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

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Technology

Who Owns the Most Satellites?

Despite Starlink’s dominance in the industry, the company is set to face intense competition in the coming years.

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Who-Owns-the-Most-Satellites

Who Owns the Most Satellites?

Nearly 7,000 satellites orbit the Earth, serving vital functions such as communication, navigation, and scientific research.

In 2022 alone, more than 150 launches took place, sending new instruments into space, with many more expected over the next decade.

But who owns these objects? In this graphic, we utilize data from the Union of Concerned Scientists to highlight the leaders in satellite technology.

SpaceX’s Dominance in Space

SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, is unquestionably the industry leader, currently operating the largest fleet of satellites in orbit—about 50% of the global total.

The company has already completed 62 missions this year, surpassing any other company or nation, and operates thousands of internet-beaming Starlink spacecraft that provide global internet connectivity.

Starlink customers receive a small satellite dish that self-orients itself to align with Starlink’s low-Earth-orbit satellites.

OwnerTotalShareCountry
SpaceX3,39550%USA
OneWeb Satellites5027%UK
Chinese Government 3695%China
U.S. Government3064%USA
Planet Labs, Inc.1953%USA
Russian Federation1372%Russia
Spire Global Inc.1272%USA
Swarm Technologies841%USA
Iridium Communications, Inc.751%USA
Other1,52823%

Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.

In second place is a lesser-known company, British OneWeb Satellites. The company, headquartered in London, counts the UK government among its investors and provides high-speed internet services to governments, businesses, and communities.

Like many other satellite operators, OneWeb relies on SpaceX to launch its satellites.

Despite Starlink’s dominance in the industry, the company is set to face intense competition in the coming years. Amazon’s Project Kuiper plans to deploy 3,236 satellites by 2029 to compete with SpaceX’s network. The first of the fleet could launch as early as 2024.

The Rise of China’s Space Program

After the top private companies, governments also own a significant portion of satellites orbiting the Earth. The U.S. remains the leader in total satellites, when adding those owned by both companies and government agencies together.

American expenditures on space programs reached $62 billion in 2022, five times more than the second one, China.

China, however, has sped up its space program over the last 20 years and currently has the highest number of satellites in orbit belonging directly to government agencies. Most of these are used for Earth observation, communications, defense, and technology development.

Satellite Demand to Rise Over the Decade

Despite the internet being taken for granted in major metropolitan areas and developed countries, one out of every three people worldwide has never used the web.

Furthermore, the increasing demand for data and the emergence of new, more cost-effective satellite technologies are expected to present significant opportunities for private space companies.

In this context, satellite demand is projected to quadruple over the next decade.

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