The Index Simulator

This simulator is for advanced users who have an understanding of the indices and have reviewed their country's ranking in those indices. The Index Simulator allows you to imagine how a change in your country's performance in an index KPI would alter its overall ranking, and to select other countries for comparison.

Country description

South Africa is an upper middle income country. It has a GDP per capita of around 6.25 Thousand USD (2023) and HDI value of 0.72 (2022)

Index description

Digital transformation needs the availability of appropriate infrastructure, skilled human resources, adequate governance and impact on national development. Developed by Portulans Institute, this index assesses 134 economies based on their performance across 60 variables.

Learn more about the Network Readiness Index

Results for South Africa

	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2019	2021	2022	2023	2024	Simulator projection
Rank	72	70	70	75	65	71	70	68	74	72
Score	3.87Value: 3.869834779	3.87Value: 3.874362339	3.98Value: 3.975626007	3.99Value: 3.990165902	4.16Value: 4.159293938	47.38Value: 47.38	48.88Value: 48.88	48.9Value: 48.8974485817503	45.85Value: 45.8472	47.8Value: 47.803898989	Value: 47.803898989

Comparison benchmarks

Compare to:

Top 3 in Income Group

Top 3 in Region

Compare to:

Income Group

Region

Access Rank 66 / Score 66.15
KPI	2024 - South Africa
KPI	Weight	Best	Worst	Aspirational value	Current Value
mobile tariffs	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Chad 0.00 Best: Switzerland 100.00 53.16%	53.16Value: 53.15823088
handset prices	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Burundi 0.00 Best: Australia 100.00 59.24%	59.24Value: 59.237841809
FTTh/Building internet subscriptions	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Chad 0.00 Best: China 100.00 43.4%	43.4Value: 43.402410353
Population covered by at least a 3G mobile network	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Mauritania 0.00 Best: Armenia 100.00 97.45%	97.45Value: 97.452272306
International internet bandwidth	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Lesotho 0.00 Best: Hong Kong SAR 100.00 77.48%	77.48Value: 77.48299269
Internet access in schools	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Chad 0.00 Best: Armenia 100.00 0%	n/aValue: n/a
Content Rank 57 / Score 27.88
GitHub commits	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Chad 0.00 Best: Singapore 100.00 5.05%	5.05Value: 5.0476261872
mobile app development	Initial Value: 0.2	100.00	0.00	Worst: Madagascar 0.00 Best: Cyprus 100.00 61.94%	61.94Value: 61.93923877
Internet domain registrations	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Ethiopia 0.00 Best: Iceland 100.00 5.98%	5.98Value: 5.9818521231
AI scientific publications	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Seychelles 0.00 Best: China 100.00 38.57%	38.57Value: 38.571193523
Future Technologies Rank 51 / Score 39.8
Adoption of emerging technologies	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Botswana 0.00 Best: Korea, Rep. 100.00 66.24%	66.24Value: 66.235185447
Investment in emerging technologies	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Angola 0.00 Best: United States 100.00 51.75%	51.75Value: 51.75
Computer software spending	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Ethiopia 0.00 Best: United States 100.00 36.33%	36.33Value: 36.330382484
Robot density	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Peru 0.00 Best: Singapore 100.00 4.9%	4.9Value: 4.9008403932
Individuals Rank 105 / Score 36.71
Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Mali 0.00 Best: China 100.00 26.54%	26.54Value: 26.544857321
Use of virtual social network	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Chad 0.00 Best: United Arab Emirates 100.00 35.21%	35.21Value: 35.205992509
Adult literacy rate	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Chad 0.00 Best: Uzbekistan 100.00 86.35%	86.35Value: 86.351030719
ICT skills in the education system	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Sierra Leone 0.00 Best: Finland 100.00 35.46%	35.46Value: 35.461997492
AI talent concentration	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: South Africa 0.00 Best: India 100.00 0%	0Value: 0
Business Rank 34 / Score 47.48
Firms with websites	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Sierra Leone 0.00 Best: Finland 100.00 77.41%	77.41Value: 77.414734927
Number of venture capital deals invested in AI	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Russian Federation 0.00 Best: Estonia 100.00 3.61%	3.61Value: 3.6086151808
Public cloud computing market scale	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Seychelles 0.00 Best: United States 100.00 42.94%	42.94Value: 42.936946673
Annual investment in telecommunication services	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Lao PDR 0.00 Best: United States 100.00 65.95%	65.95Value: 65.947579608
Government Rank 78 / Score 35.21
Government online services	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Mauritania 0.00 Best: Estonia 100.00 72.23%	72.23Value: 72.225906278
Data Capabilities	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Mozambique 0.00 Best: Estonia 100.00 30.63%	30.63Value: 30.631769177
Government promotion of investment in emerging technologies	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Bolivia 0.00 Best: United States 100.00 25.92%	25.92Value: 25.919778908
R&D expenditure by government and higher education	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Mauritania 0.00 Best: Israel 100.00 12.06%	12.06Value: 12.060865145
Trust Rank 58 / Score 53.45
Secure Internet servers	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Chad 0.00 Best: Denmark 100.00 76.48%	76.48Value: 76.484275487
Online access to financial account	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Egypt 0.00 Best: Norway 100.00 43.42%	43.42Value: 43.424504741
Internet shopping	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Pakistan 0.00 Best: Norway 100.00 15.39%	15.39Value: 15.393689216
Cybersecurity	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Yemen 0.00 Best: United States 100.00 78.5%	78.5Value: 78.5
Regulation Rank 55 / Score 69.18
Regulation quality	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Venezuela 0.00 Best: Singapore 100.00 43.68%	43.68Value: 43.676543897
Regulation of emerging technologies	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Sierra Leone 0.00 Best: Luxembourg 100.00 49.05%	49.05Value: 49.049915299
e-commerce legislation	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Namibia 0.00 Best: Algeria 100.00 100%	100Value: 100
Privacy protection by law content	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Lao PDR 0.00 Best: Latvia 100.00 69.47%	69.47Value: 69.465249956
ICT regulatory environment	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Yemen 0.00 Best: Italy 100.00 83.69%	83.69Value: 83.69047619
Inclusion Rank 65 / Score 62.1
e-participation	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Mauritania 0.00 Best: Japan 100.00 58.14%	58.14Value: 58.139772844
Socioeconomic gap in use of digital payments	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Burundi 0.00 Best: Switzerland 100.00 72.97%	72.97Value: 72.974145537
Availability of local online content	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Chad 0.00 Best: Sweden 100.00 49.76%	49.76Value: 49.759615385
Gender gap in internet use	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Burkina Faso 0.00 Best: Lesotho 100.00 0%	n/aValue: n/a
Rural gap in use of digital payment	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Morocco 0.00 Best: Jordan 100.00 67.52%	67.52Value: 67.520080132
Economy Rank 89 / Score 26.79
PCT patent application	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: El Salvador 0.00 Best: Finland 100.00 1.07%	1.07Value: 1.0654128375
Domestic market size	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Seychelles 0.00 Best: China 100.00 66.36%	66.36Value: 66.358953096
Prevalence of gig economy	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Zimbabwe 0.00 Best: China 100.00 33.72%	33.72Value: 33.720930233
ICT services exports	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Lesotho 0.00 Best: Cyprus 100.00 6.03%	6.03Value: 6.025589814
Quality of life Rank 118 / Score 40.09
Happiness	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Lesotho 0.00 Best: Finland 100.00 41.87%	41.87Value: 41.871360799
Freedom to make life choices	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Angola 0.00 Best: Malaysia 100.00 63.21%	63.21Value: 63.210981897
Income inequality	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: South Africa 0.00 Best: Slovak Republic 100.00 0%	0Value: 0
Healthy life expectancy at birth	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Lesotho 0.00 Best: Japan 100.00 30.38%	30.38Value: 30.382049727
SDG Contribution Rank 55 / Score 68.8
SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Chad 0.00 Best: Canada 100.00 67.74%	67.74Value: 67.741935484
SDG 4: Quality Education	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Cambodia 0.00 Best: China 100.00 0%	n/aValue: n/a
SDG 5: Women's economic opportunity	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Yemen 0.00 Best: Belgium 100.00 83.76%	83.76Value: 83.760683761
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Trinidad and Tobago 0.00 Best: Ireland 100.00 59.94%	59.94Value: 59.941520468
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	Initial Value: 1	100.00	0.00	Worst: Chad 0.00 Best: Iceland 100.00 57.67%	57.67Value: 57.667648228

Index Global Highlights

Custom Region
Average
Weighted Average by population
Highest Ranked Country		Country
		Score
		Rank
Lowest Ranked Country		Country
		Score
		Rank

Global Details
Global Average		49.52 Value: 49.5195828353835
Developed Economies Average		64.95 64.9488848849444
Developing Economies Average		44.4 44.4044101529722
Highest Ranked Country	Country	United States
	Score	78.96 78.964001767
	Global Rank	1
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Yemen
	Score	20.24 20.240321999
	Global Rank	133
Highest Ranked Developed Country	Country	United States
	Score	78.96 78.964001767
	Global Rank	1
Lowest Ranked Developed Country	Country	Croatia
	Score	51.96 51.959682353
	Global Rank	59
Highest Ranked Developing Country	Country	Singapore
	Score	76.94 76.93582921
	Global Rank	2
Lowest Ranked Developing Country	Country	Yemen
	Score	20.24 20.240321999
	Global Rank	133

Arab Region Details
Arab Average		46.21 46.2125524556154
Arab Diversified Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, State of Palestine		45.73 45.7301708525
Arab LDC Comoros, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Yemen		23.7 23.699309052
Highest Ranked Country	Country	United Arab Emirates
	Score	62.79 62.78542279
	Global Rank	28
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Yemen
	Score	20.24 20.240321999
	Global Rank	133
Highest Arab Diversified Country	Country	Jordan
	Score	47.04 47.035534887
	Global Rank	74
Lowest Arab Diversified Country	Country	Egypt
	Score	44.42 44.424806818
	Global Rank	85
Highest Arab LDC	Country	Mauritania
	Score	27.16 27.158296105
	Global Rank	124
Lowest Arab LDC	Country	Yemen
	Score	20.24 20.240321999
	Global Rank	133

Economies per capita
High-Income Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Brunei Darussalam, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Nauru, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Monaco, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Palau, Panama, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Qatar, Korea, Rep., Romania, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Czech Republic, Hong Kong SAR			62.78 62.77637992412
Upper-Middle-Income Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Gabon, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran, Islamic Rep., Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Namibia, Paraguay, Peru, Russian Federation, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Serbia, Kosovo, Suriname, Thailand, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Venezuela, South Africa, North Macedonia			48.17 48.1713789361818
Lower-Middle-Income Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Myanmar, Comoros, Congo, Rep., Djibouti, Egypt, El Salvador, Eswatini, Ghana, Honduras, India, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Lesotho, Mauritania, Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Moldova, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Ukraine, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Uruguay, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Cote d'Ivoire, State of Palestine			40.59 40.5889484902973
Low Income Afghanistan, Chad, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Korea Dem Rep., Congo, Democratic Rep., Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Haiti, Malawi, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Niger, Somalia, Rwanda, Togo, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Uganda, Yemen, Central African Republic			27.37 27.3722247588462

Oil Exporting/Importing
Oil Exporting Average Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Brunei Darussalam, Chad, China, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Congo, Rep., Congo, Democratic Rep., Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iran, Islamic Rep., Iraq, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Libya, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Slovak Republic, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen		51.41 51.4110287012037
Oil Importing Average Afghanistan, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Croatia, Korea Dem Rep., Myanmar, Nauru, Chile, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Haiti, Malawi, Mali, Monaco, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyz Republic, Lao PDR, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Somalia, Korea, Rep., Moldova, Romania, Rwanda, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Togo, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tonga, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Uruguay, Czech Republic, Hong Kong SAR, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Central African Republic, Cote d'Ivoire, South Africa, State of Palestine, North Macedonia		48.23 48.2266957878607
Oil Exporting Best	Country	United States
	Score	78.96 78.964001767
	Global Rank	1
Oil Exporting Worst	Country	Yemen
	Score	20.24 20.240321999
	Global Rank	133
Oil Importing Best	Country	Singapore
	Score	76.94 76.93582921
	Global Rank	2
Oil Importing Worst	Country	Burundi
	Score	20.69 20.688803775
	Global Rank	132

OECD
OECD Average		65.28 65.275043805027
OECD Developed Average Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Czech Republic		66.2 66.2011410197879
OECD Developing Average Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Korea, Rep., Turkey		56.17 56.1727851568
OECD Best	Country	United States
	Score	78.96 78.964001767
	Global Rank	1
OECD Worst	Country	Colombia
	Score	49.64 49.642589531
	Global Rank	64
OECD Developed Best	Country	United States
	Score	78.96 78.964001767
	Global Rank	1
OECD Developed Worst	Country	Mexico
	Score	50.32 50.324958651
	Global Rank	62
OECD Developing Best	Country	Korea, Rep.
	Score	74.85 74.846859277
	Global Rank	5
OECD Developing Worst	Country	Colombia
	Score	49.64 49.642589531
	Global Rank	64

ESCWA region
Simple Average		46.21
Weighted Average by population		43.57
Highest Ranked Country	Country	United Arab Emirates
	Score	62.79
	Rank	28
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Yemen
	Score	20.24
	Rank	133

Oil Exporting
Simple Average		51.41
Weighted Average by population		58.63
Highest Ranked Country	Country	United States
	Score	78.96
	Rank	1
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Yemen
	Score	20.24
	Rank	133

Oil Importing
Simple Average		48.23
Weighted Average by population		50.07
Highest Ranked Country	Country	Singapore
	Score	76.94
	Rank	2
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Burundi
	Score	20.69
	Rank	132

OECD Developing
Simple Average		56.17
Weighted Average by population		54.74
Highest Ranked Country	Country	Korea, Rep.
	Score	74.85
	Rank	5
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Colombia
	Score	49.64
	Rank	64

OECD Developed
Simple Average		66.2
Weighted Average by population		69.56
Highest Ranked Country	Country	United States
	Score	78.96
	Rank	1
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Mexico
	Score	50.32
	Rank	62

East Asia and Pacific
Simple Average		56.96
Weighted Average by population		64.44
Highest Ranked Country	Country	Singapore
	Score	76.94
	Rank	2
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Cambodia
	Score	35.65
	Rank	110

Europe and Central Asia
Simple Average		59.26
Weighted Average by population		61.2
Highest Ranked Country	Country	Finland
	Score	75.76
	Rank	3
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Bosnia and Herzegovina
	Score	43.2
	Rank	90

Latin America and The Caribbean
Simple Average		44.35
Weighted Average by population		49.5
Highest Ranked Country	Country	Brazil
	Score	55.2
	Rank	44
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Nicaragua
	Score	33.51
	Rank	116

North America
Simple Average		75.36
Weighted Average by population		78.22
Highest Ranked Country	Country	United States
	Score	78.96
	Rank	1
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Canada
	Score	71.76
	Rank	11

South Asia
Simple Average		43.7
Weighted Average by population		50.56
Highest Ranked Country	Country	India
	Score	53.63
	Rank	49
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Nepal
	Score	35.96
	Rank	109

Sub-Saharan Africa
Simple Average		34.11
Weighted Average by population		33.53
Highest Ranked Country	Country	Mauritius
	Score	51.17
	Rank	60
Lowest Ranked Country	Country	Burundi
	Score	20.69
	Rank	132

Simulator Projection

		Simulated
Rank:
Score:

The Index Simulator

Country description

Index description

Results for South Africa

Comparison benchmarks

Index Global Highlights

Custom Region

Global Details

Arab Region Details

Economies per capita

Oil Exporting/Importing

OECD

ESCWA region

Oil Exporting

Oil Importing

OECD Developing

OECD Developed

East Asia and Pacific

Europe and Central Asia

Latin America and The Caribbean

North America

South Asia

Sub-Saharan Africa

Simulator Projection

Policies