Press Releases

Use of Internet

In 2019, Ιnternet access in households increased and reached 89,6% compared to 86,2% in 2018. (Table 1)

85,5% of persons aged 16-74 years old are using the internet at least once a week. All persons aged 16–24 years old (100,0%) use the internet at least once a week. This percentage decreases with age, even though for individuals aged 65–74 years old the use of internet increased to 44,3% in 2019 compared to 37,5% in 2018. Persons with high educational level (97,3%) use the internet more frequently than persons with low educational level (55,7%). (Figure 1)

The most popular Internet activities are the following: use of instant messaging (88,6%), telephone calls over the internet/video calls (via webcam) over the Internet (84,0%), participation in social networks (83,3%), search of information about goods and services (83,2%) and reading news/ newspapers/magazines (81,9%). (Table 2)

91,6% of persons that used the Internet in the first quarter of 2019, used their mobile or smart phone to access the Internet away from home or work, 26,1% used a laptop and 19,6% used a  tablet. (Table 2)

e-Government

Compared to 2018, the percentage of persons who use the Internet for interaction with public authorities in 2019 increased from 41,7% to 50,3%. This is due to the increase of people using the Internet for obtaining information from public authorities’ websites (from 38,7% to 48,3%), downloading official forms (from 27,4% to 37,1%) and submitting completed forms (from 26,1% to 33,9%). (Table 3)

e-Commerce

The percentage of individuals 16-74 years old making online orders during the first quarter of the year significantly increased to 36,2% in 2019 compared to 23,3% in 2018. (Figure 2)

The most popular categories of goods/services ordered online were the following: clothes or sports goods (66,2%), travel arrangements such as transport tickets, car hire etc. (54,6%) and holiday accommodation (51,7%). (Table 4)

During the period April 2018-March 2019, 84,6% of persons aged 16-74 years old that bought or ordered goods and services for private use bought from sellers from EU countries, 44,2% bought from sellers from the rest of the world and 45,1% bought from sellers in Cyprus. 38,9% of these persons bought goods or services of value between 100-500 euro. (Table 4)

Access to Internet Away from Home

Methodological notes

Aim

The aim of the survey is to collect data on the access of households to selected Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), the use of Internet, use of e-Government, e-Commerce, e-Skills, and Internet Security.

Coverage

The survey was conducted during the period April – August 2019 and covered 1.824 households with at least one member aged 16 – 74 (inclusive) and 3.860 individuals aged 16 – 74 (inclusive).

The survey covers all the government controlled areas of the Republic of Cyprus.

Sampling

The sampling frame used for the selection of the sample was the 2011 Population Census Frame, with reference date the 1st of October 2011. The sampling units are households. Auxiliary information for each household (district, municipality, quarter, address, number of persons, telephone numbers) is also included in the frame. The 2011 Census frame was updated at different time periods with data obtained from the Electricity Authority of Cyprus.

The selection of the sample in urban areas is done by simple random sampling (one-stage sampling). In rural areas, two-stage sampling is used. Villages are the primary sampling units, while households are the secondary sampling units. Neighbouring Villages with a small number of households are merged in order to create complexes with a minimum number of households. The sample of villages is selected with probability proportional to the size of the village (PPS). Some villages are large and therefore their probability of selection is equal to 1. A simple random sample of households is selected from each village.

All individuals, aged 16-74, within each sampled household were selected.

Data Collection

The data collection was conducted through personal interviews with all individuals of household aged 16 -74 years. In case of absence of an individual, some other member that knew answered the questionnaire.

Reference Period

The data refers to first quarter of 2019, unless otherwise stated.

Definitions

e- Commerce: Use of e-commerce refers to the purchase of goods and services over the Internet for private use via any device. Purchases refer to ordering goods or services for which payment is required but the payment does not have to be online. Orders via manually typed e-mails, SMS or MMS should be excluded.

e- Government: Use of e-government refers to electronic contacts via the Internet with public authorities and some public services. Contacts through manually typed e-mails should be excluded.

Use of Internet: Internet use via any device: desktop, laptop, netbook, tablet, as well as smart phones, games consoles, e-book readers.

Further information

Survey Results –Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Usage in Households and by Individuals Survey, 2019

Statistical Service (CYSTAT) Website, subtheme Information Society

Infographic

Contact

Antreas Charalambous: Tel:+35726804436, Email.: ancharalambous@cystat.mof.gov.cy

Eleni Christodoulidou: Tel:+35722602142, Email.: echristodoulidou@cystat.mof.gov.cy

(AH)