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Percentage of Individuals Using the Internet in Urban and Rural Areas, 2023
In 2023, internet usage among urban residents worldwide stands at 81%, while rural areas lag behind at 50%. Despite some minor improvements, the urban-rural digital divide, measured by the ratio of these percentages, remains substantial, decreasing from 1.7 in 2020 to 1.6 in 2023.
While important urban-rural divides between regions exist, the urban-rural divide also varies significantly by income group. High-income countries have nearly eliminated the gap with a ratio of 1.1. However, low-income countries struggle, with only 17% of rural residents accessing the Internet compared to their urban counterparts. This underscores the amplified digital divide in rural areas, with a 48 percentage point difference in internet usage between urban areas of low-income and high-income countries and a 71 percentage point gap between rural areas of the two groups.
Innovative initiatives like Not2Far are crucial. They're making strides in delivering sustainable, high-speed internet to isolated communities, significantly reducing the digital divide by offering affordable connectivity to the most underserved populations.
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The Business of Impact Investing in 2023
Impact investing is a form of investing that believes that every dollar invested can make a difference, while producing a profit. Over the past 20 years, impact investing has undergone a remarkable evolution, driven by a confluence of societal, economic, and technological factors. These influences have propelled impact investing into a crucial mechanism for addressing societal needs, traditionally the domain of public funding. In 2022, the impact investing market sat at US$1,146 billion, growing at a healthy compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29% over the last four years. This special report features interviews with thought leaders in the impact investing space, and offers an insightful perspective on the current and future state of impact investing, its challenges and opportunities, and highlights case studies of investors, social enterprises, and the impact they are having on the world.
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