Madagascar’s internet speed outpaces that of France, UK, and Canada

Madagascar, one of the world’s poorest countries, has the fastest internet speed in Africa. According to a broadband speed league table, it has average speeds much faster than some of the world’s wealthiest nations including the UK, Canada, and France.

Oliver Falck, writing for IZA World of Labor, says, “The ongoing processes of digitization in economies and societies have important implications, not only for economic growth, but also the future of the labor market. The diffusion of broadband infrastructure, which enables firms and households to access high-speed internet, plays a crucial role in economic and labor market developments.”

However, despite Madagascar’s technological advantage, the country’s high speed internet barely serves its population. This is because only 13% of the 25 million people living in Madagascar has access to electricity and only 2.1% of the population has access to the internet. There are only 2.75 IP addresses per 1,000 people compared to a global average of 558 per person.

The former French colony has an extreme poverty rate where almost 80% of the population live on less than $1.90 per day. Last year gross national income per capita dropped to $400 compared with a sub-Saharan Africa average of $1454.

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