Yandex: SFD is the last in Russia by Internet development

Among all the districts of Russia the South Federal District (SFD) is in the last place by development of the use of Internet. However, bloggers and Internet edition are more active in the SFD than on the average in Russia. These are the data from the information bulletin published by the "Yandex" Company on the Internet development in regions of Russia in 2008.

According to the Company's data, in 2008, the Internet penetration into Russia increased by 4 percent, basically, due to the regions. In autumn of 2008, the semi-annual audience of the Runet made over 34 million persons - making 30 percent of the Russian population in the age of 18 and up.

Most of all "southern" domains were registered by users from the Rostov Region - over 21,000, The Krasnodar Territory being the runner-up (over 18,000 domains).

"The South has few bloggers and Internet-based media, but they are more active there that on the average across Russia. Active blogs are very few - only 1.1 per 1000 Internet users. But these are the bloggers who write a lot. One active blog in this region has 7 posts and 15 comments per month - more than in all other districts," the report runs.

As to the total Internet development indicators, the SFD takes the last place among Russian districts, the Urals being in the lead.

The "Caucasian Knot" has already marked that the Internet development in the SFD regions faces financial difficulties. Thus, in Dagestan, after the end of federal financing under the National Project "Education", local budgets are not able to pay for use of the Internet by schools.

At the same time, in 2009, bus stops of Sochi will be equipped with access to the Internet through Wi-Fi and Wi-MAX.

Gradual improvement of the situation with the Internet development was also marked in Chechnya. According to journalists, it promotes growth of the number of private websites and blogs which cover and comment the situation in Chechnya and as a whole in Northern Caucasus, which is especially important due to the opportunity to freely share information and express one's opinion at such information platforms.