Africa's fastest internet speed is in one of the world's poorest countries

desmond frimpong

July 16, 2018 12:20 PM

Madagascar is followed by Kenya, ranked 64 and South Africa, ranked 76 on the broadband list. Morocco and Tunisia come in fourth and fifth.

An analysis of more than 160 million broadband speed tests conducted across 200 countries revealed that Madagascar has the fastest internet connection in Africa.

The report by a communications company in the UK, Cable, ranked Madagascar 22nd in the world, up 67 places and ahead of France, Germany, Finland, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

Madagascar, categorised the Least Developed Countries by the United Nations, 1.6 million people (4.3% of the population) could access the internet as of 2016.

48% of the population of Madagascar suffers intense poverty, according to the 2016 Human Development Index.

Madagascar is followed by Kenya, ranked 64 and South Africa, ranked 76 on the broadband list. Morocco and Tunisia come in fourth and fifth.

The African countries with the lowest connection include Somalia at 197, Guinea at 196 and Mauritania at 195. Niger and Burkina Faso comes in at 193 and 192.

Madagascar is the world’s only non-conflict country that has become poorer since it gained independence in 1960, according to the World Bank . The former French colony has an extreme poverty rate where almost 80% of the population live on less than $1.90 per day.

Data shows that one in two Malagasy children is stunted because of malnutrition. Its gross national income income per capita dropped to $400 last year and compares with a Sub Saharan Africa average of $1454.

desmond frimpong