In this day and age—when the Internet has become the backbone of everything from online banking to education and employment—there is one country in the world where most people are cut off from the online world. For the people living here, internet is not an everyday necessity but a rare luxury.
which country is that?
Eritrea, a small African country, is counted among the countries in the world with the lowest internet connectivity. Internet access here is very limited, and only a small portion of the population is able to use it. Outside big cities, digital connectivity is almost non-existent.
tight government control
The Internet in this country is completely under the control of the government. Most networks are run by government institutions, and their use is closely monitored. It is not easy for ordinary citizens to use the Internet freely, as every activity is closely monitored.
Poor infrastructure: a big reason
A major reason for the lack of internet access here is the weak technical infrastructure. Broadband services are limited, and mobile internet coverage is also patchy. Even where Internet is available, its slow speeds and high cost prevent people from using it on a large scale.
Internet beyond the reach of common citizens
Although some Internet cafes exist, they are few in number and subject to strict regulations. Most people neither have personal computers nor smartphones with which they can access the Internet. As a result, there remains a huge gap between the digital world and everyday life in this country.
Impact on education and business
Lack of internet access has a direct impact on education, business and communication. Students lack access to online learning resources, and entrepreneurs find it difficult to connect with international markets. The exchange of information here is also quite slow compared to the rest of the world.
a backward country
While the entire world is rapidly digitizing, Eritrea is lagging far behind in this race. Even today, the country is a living example of the global digital divide—a place where the internet is inaccessible to the common man.
