21 December 2009 | 1100 hrs | 229/2009
A survey on ICT usage among households and individuals revealed that
computer and internet access amongst Maltese households rose to 67 per
cent and 64 per cent respectively.
ICT usage by households and individuals: 2009
Profile of ICT availability in households
Figures from a survey carried out among a representative sample of persons aged 16-74 revealed that
67 per cent and 64 per cent of households had access to computer and internet respectively (table 1).
Chart 1 reveals the upward trend of households with internet access over the past 5 years.
T im e s e r ie s o f h o u s e h o ld s w it h in t e r n e t a cc e s s
70
60
Percentage
50
40
30
20
10
0
20 05
20 06
20 07
2 00 8
2 00 9
Different penetration rates were obtained when comparing internet access by household type and
household income (tables 2 and 3). In fact, internet access in households rose from 36 per cent for
households earning less than €10,000 to 93 per cent for households earning €25,000 or more.
Profile of ICT by individuals
More than half of the individuals aged 16-74 in Malta and Gozo made use of computer and internet.
These figures were highest among persons aged between 16 and 24 averaging over 90 per cent for
both sexes. Internet usage was also very high for persons with higher achieved levels of education
(table 9). The number persons who had accessed the internet during the three months prior to this
survey comprised 97 per cent of all students as well as 72 per cent of those employed (table 10).
Compiled by:
Amongst those who used the internet in the last three months, nearly all individuals accessed the
internet at home, while another 35 per cent used it at work. Furthermore, the use of internet for sending/
receiving e-mails was widespread, with an estimated 89 per cent saying that they had used the internet
for this purpose.
Unit C3: Information
Society and Tourism
Statistics
Nearly 40 per cent of those using internet in the last three months said that they used e-government
services to obtain information from Public authorities' websites. Another 27 per cent said that they
used e-government services to download official forms (table 13).
Directorate C: Social
Statistics and
Information Society
E-Commerce
Further information on data:
Ms Tania BORG
T. +356 2599 7526
E. tania.borg@gov.mt
The results of the survey indicate that 58 per cent of the persons using the internet within the last three
months, ordered or purchased goods and services by means of the internet in the twelve months prior
to the survey. The majority of these persons opted to purchase from retailers outside the European
Union. An analysis of the type of products bought over the internet during the reference period is shown
in Table 16, with the most popular item category being clothing and sport goods. Table 17 shows that
41 per cent of individuals using e-commerce in the last 12 months spent between €100 to €500 during
the reference three month period J
Table 1. Percentage of households with computer and internet access by district
District
Computer access
Internet access
Southern Harbour
66
62
Northern Harbour
68
65
South Eastern
63
63
Western
72
68
Northern
74
71
Gozo and Comino
56
51
Total
67
64
Table 2. Percentage of households with computer and internet access by household composition
Household composition
Computer access
Internet access
One adult without children
30
30
:
:
48
44
100
100
Three or more adults without children
82
78
Three or more adults with children
91
88
One adult with children
Two adults without children
Two adults with children
: not available
Table 3. Percentage of households with computer and internet access by household income
Household income (€)
Computer access
Internet access
less than 10,000
39
36
10,000-15,000
69
66
15,001-25,000
81
78
25,000 or more
95
93
Table 4. Percentage of households with computer and internet access: 2005-2009
Profile of households
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Households with internet access
46
53
54
59
64
Households without internet access
53
47
46
41
36
No knowledge
1U
0U
0U
0U
0U
100
100
100
100
100
Total
2
Table 5. Percentage computer usage by age of individual
Males
Females
Males
Females
Usage
Total
16-24
25-54
55-74
16-24
25-54
55-74
Within the last 3 months
93
66
32
96
66
23
61
58
More than 3 months ago
1U
3U
3U
1U
5U
3U
3U
4U
6
31
65
3U
29
74
36
38
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
Never made use of it
Table 6. Percentage computer usage by highest achived educational level of individual
Educational level
Usage
Up to Secondary
Post-Secondary
Tertiary
Within the last 3 months
41
88
96
More than 3 months ago
5U
3U
1U
Never made use of it
54
9
3U
100
100
100
Table 7. Percentage computer usage by economic status of individual
Economic status
Usage
Gainfully
occupied
Student
Unemployed
Inactive
Within the last 3 months
74
97
65
32
More than 3 months ago
2U
1U
14
4U
Never made use of it
24
2U
21
64
100
100
100
100
Table 8. Percentage Internet usage by age of individual
Males
Females
Males
Females
Usage
Total
16-24
25-54
55-74
16-24
25-54
55-74
Within the last 3 months
92
65
30
96
63
20
60
56
More than 3 months ago
2U
3U
2U
1U
4U
1U
2U
2U
6
32
68
3U
33
79
38
42
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
Never made use of it
3
Table 9. Percentage Internet usage by highest achieved educational level of individual
Educational level
Usage
Up to Secondary
Post-Secondary
Tertiary
Within the last 3 months
39
86
96
More than 3 months ago
3U
3U
1U
Never made use of it
58
11
3U
100
100
100
Table 10. Percentage Internet usage by economic status of individual
Economic status
Usage
Gainfully
occupied
Student
Unemployed
Inactive
Within the last 3 months
72
97
62
30
More than 3 months ago
2U
1U
6U
2U
Never made use of it
26
2U
32
68
100
100
100
100
Table 11. Location for internet access of individuals by age groups and gender
(% of individuals using internet in the last 3 months)
Age groups
Access to internet
Sex
All individuals
16-24
25-54
55-74
Males
Females
At home
94
94
93
97
95
92
At place of work
35
27
43
19
41
30
6
20
1u
2u
6
6
8
19
u
5
u
1
9
7
4u
9
2u
4u
5
3u
At place of education
At another person's home
At other places
Note: More than one location could be chosen
4
Table 12. Internet activities of individuals by age and sex
(% of individuals using internet in the last 3 months)
Internet activities
All
individuals
Age groups
16-24
25-54
Sex
55-74
Males
Females
Communication
Sending/Receiving e-mails
89
94
87
86
89
88
Telephoning over the internet
25
31
22
24
29
20
Posting messages to chat sites, blogs, forums etc.
42
69
34
19
43
40
Information search and online services
Finding information about goods or services
83
85
83
80
85
80
Using services related to travel and accommodation
47
42
48
56
47
47
Listening to web radios and web TV
39
59
33
22
46
30
Uploading self-created content to any website
16
26
13
11
21
11
Downloading software
38
59
35
8U
48
28
Playing or downloading games, images, films or
music
49
77
41
28
50
48
Reading or downloading online newspapers/news
magazines
56
52
59
52
58
55
Looking for a job or sending a job application
25
41
20
13
23
27
Seeking health-related information (e.g. injury,
disease, nutrition, improving health etc)
52
47
54
53
50
55
Internet banking
60
53
60
43
60
52
Selling goods or services (e.g. Auctions)
8U
9U
7U
3U
9U
5U
46
58
44
28
44
47
U
U
U
U
U
4U
61
58
Ordering and selling of goods or services, banking
Training and education
Information search about education, training or
course offers
Undertaking an online course
6
Consulting the Internet for educational purposes
59
7
68
6
4
56
55
9
Note: More than one activity could be chosen
Table 13. E-government usage of individuals by age groups and sex
(% of individuals using internet in the last 3 months)
E-government usage
All
individuals
Age groups
16-24
25-54
Sex
55-74
Males
Females
Obtaining information from public authorities' websites
39
29
44
39
45
33
Downloading official forms
27
18
31
27
29
25
Sending filled-in forms
17
14
20
13
19
15
Note: More than one activity could be chosen
Table 14. Frequency of e-commerce by age groups and sex
(% of individuals using internet in the last 3 months)
E-commerce
All
individuals
Age groups
16-24
25-54
Sex
55-74
Males
Females
Within the last 3 months
47
51
51
22
55
39
Between 3 months and a year ago
11
15
11
7
10
13
More than 1 year ago
3U
5U
2U
2U
3U
3U
Never
38
30
36
68
32
45
Total
100
100
100
100
100
100
5
Table 15. Retailers chosen by individuals for online purchases
(% of individuals using e-commerce in the last 12 months)
Age groups
Type of retailer
Sex
All individuals
16-24
25-54
55-74
Males
Females
National retailer
18
15
20
15
18
19
Retailers in other EU countries
84
82
85
88
87
80
Retailers from rest of the world
44
44
45
33
49
37
U
U
U
U
U
3U
Country of origin of sellers is not known
2
2
2
4
2
Note: More than one type of retailer could be chosen
Table 16. Goods and services ordered through the internet for the private use
(% of individuals using e-commerce in the last 12 months)
Age groups
Goods and services
Sex
All individuals
16-24
Food/Groceries
U
1
0
Household goods (e.g. furniture, toys etc.)
16
6
U
25-54
U
55-74
Males
U
U
Females
U
2
0
1
0
U
U
21
19
16
16
U
U
U
U
U
Medicine
3
3
3
4
2
4
Films, music
28
25
30
17
29
25
Books, Magazines, Newspapers, E-learning material
35
31
39
22
39
31
Clothes, sport goods
39
44
38
16
35
43
U
22
11
U
17
7
U
Video games software and upgrades
17
19
17
Computer software
13
15
12
4
8
U
U
Computer hardware
14
15
13
8
20
5
Electronic equipment (incl. cameras)
28
25
30
12
32
22
Telecommunications services
24
20
27
11
26
21
U
U
U
U
U
U
Share-purchases, Financial services, Insurances
5
6
5
4
8
1
Holiday accommodation
25
14
29
41
28
20
Other travel arrangements
25
13
28
56
29
21
Tickets for events
18
16
19
19
20
16
Lotteries or betting
18
20
18
19
19
17
Notes: More than one type of goods or services could be chosen.
Table 17. Total value of goods and services ordered through the internet for the private use in the last 3 months
(% of individuals using e-commerce in the last 12 months)
Age groups
Total value of goods or services ordered
Sex
All individuals
16-24
25-54
55-74
Males
Females
Less than €50
18
21
18
15
14
25
€50-€99
21
23
21
7
20
23
€100-€499
41
44
40
36
46
35
€500 or more
12
7
12
23
13
9
8
6
8
18
8
8
100
100
100
100
100
100
Don't know
6
Methodological Notes
The survey on ICT usage by Households and Individuals is designed to satisfy the concepts and definitions as
outlined by Eurostat, which is the EU statistical agency. This allows the comparability of the results with other EU
member states.
The aim of the survey in question was to obtain relevant indicators on information communication technology usage
by households and individuals in Malta and Gozo. A systematic random sampling sorted by localities of 1,500
individuals were chosen to participate in the information communication technology (ICT) usage by households and
individuals survey. The global response rate stood at 1,089 persons or 73 per cent of the initial surveyed sample.
Data was collected by means of face-to-face or telephone interviews in the second quarter of 2009. The target
population were all individuals aged between 16 to 74.
The first section of this survey was directed towards obtaining information on availability of ICT items within the
interviewee’s household. The second section was aimed directly at the interviewee, thus enabling the NSO to obtain
information on the personal use and preferences of the individual in this sector. Thus, results were grossed up to
the both the household and individual populations.
Percentages in Tables 15 and 16 could not be compared with 2008 percentage estimates as different calculations
were considered.
Target Population: the total number of persons aged 16 to 74.
Definitions
ICT: Information and Communication Technologies
Income groups: The income group indicate the total income of all the members of the household.
Educational level: This relates to the highest level of education successfully completed by the
individual.
Gainfully occupied: This comprises of all employees and self employed persons.
Inactive: This group includes all other type of activity, such as retired persons, housewives or other
inactive persons.
Children: This group comprises all persons aged between 0 and 18.
7