DUSHANBE, March 31, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The Global Information Report 2008-2009, produced by the World Economic forum in cooperation with INSEAD, the leading international business school, and sponsored by Cisco Systems, has ranked Tajikistan 104th among 134 countries in terms of development of information technologies.

The Report stresses the importance of ICT as a catalyst for growth in the current global turmoil.  Denmark and Sweden once again lead rankings of the Report, released by the World Economic Forum for the eighth consecutive year.

The United States follows suit, up one position from last year, thus confirming its pre-eminence in networked readiness in the current times of economic slowdown. Singapore (4), Switzerland (5) and the other Nordic countries together with the Netherlands and Canada complete the top 10.

Kazakhstan, Russia, and Kyrgyzstan are ranked 73rd, 74th and 115th respectively. 

The Report underlines that good education fundamentals and high levels of technological readiness and innovation are essential engines of growth needed to overcome the current economic crisis.  Under the theme “Mobility in a Networked World”, this year’s Report places a particular focus on the relationship and interrelations between mobility and ICT.

With record coverage of 134 economies worldwide, the Report remains the world’s most comprehensive and authoritative international assessment of the impact of ICT on the development process and the competitiveness of nations.