Information and communication technologies

The development of information and communication technology (ICT) has made life a lot easier. The news is all around us and we no longer have to wait for broadcasts or the newspaper. Accommodation, flight tickets and the taxi can be booked on the computer or smart phone in just a few clicks. Information is available at all times. This facilitates data searching and communication and has revolutionised trade and the provision of services.

The introduction of ICT has led to significant changes in the management of enterprises and in production: work processes are faster and more efficient. A number of jobs that required manual labour have been taken over by computers and robots, and the use of digital documents is increasing.

Statistics Estonia publishes data on ICT use in enterprises and households and collects data on the economic indicators of the ICT sector.

From ICT statistics one can learn, for example,

• how many and what devices Estonian households and enterprises use;
• the uses of the internet;
• how much are e-commerce and cloud technology used;
• how much do enterprises use robots and 3D printing;
• the turnover and value added of ICT enterprises.

Statistics Estonia publishes data on ICT activities in the services sector and manufacturing. ICT activities in the services sector are the wholesale of information and communication equipment, software publishing, telecommunications, computer programming and consultancy, data processing and hosting, repair of computers and communication equipment. ICT activities in manufacturing include the manufacture of electronic components and boards, computers and peripheral equipment, communication equipment, consumer electronics, magnetic and optical media.

Based on the data, it can be assessed how Estonia is doing as a digital country and what measures are needed to advance the potential of ICT and encourage its use.