Comparative analysis of the infrastructure basis for the transition to the digital economy of Latin America

Abstract

In the last decade, almost all countries of the world have developed strategies for the transition to a digital economy. The introduction of digital technologies is observed in all spheres of our life: from simple household consumption to public administration. Latin American countries have not been left out of this process. However, the readiness for such a transition varies for the countries of the region. The purpose of this article is a comparative analysis of the infrastructure base of Latin American countries for the transition to a digital economy. The starting point for this transition is the provision of public access to the Internet and the ability of the population to take advantage of the opportunities provided by digital technologies. The basis for the study was the database of the World Bank, the online portal “Statista” and other open sources. Comparison and pattern matching methods were used in the process. The analysis showed that Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Costa Rica are among the leading countries in the readiness of the infrastructure base for the transition to a digital economy. Countries lagging in this indicator - Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, Venezuela. It is noted that in these countries it is necessary to create new institutions, stimulate innovation. In general, the Latin American region at the moment belongs to the middle group of digitalization but has great potential and good prospects.