Internet usage rises to 66.8 percent in Turkey

Internet usage among Turks aged between 16 and 74 rose to 66.8 percent in 2017 from 61.2 percent the previous year, according to a recent Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) survey on information and communication technology usage in households in 2017.

The rate of computer usage among individuals between the ages of 16 and 74 was at 56.6 percent in 2017, a rise from 58.7 the previous year, the survey carried out in April showed. 

TÜİK also revealed that males used computers and internet more than women. While the share of internet usage among men was 75.1 percent, the share was 58.7 percent among females this year.

The rate of Turkish households with access to internet increased from 76.3 percent last year to 80.7 percent this year, meaning eight out of 10 households had internet access as of April of this year. 

When analyzed in terms of the types of broadband connection that households used to connect to the internet, the survey results revealed that 40 percent of houses used fixed broadband connection such as ADSL, cable and optic fiber, whereas over 70 percent of households used mobile broadband connection. 

During April 2006 and March 2017, 42.4 percent of internet users aged between 16 and 74 used internet for e-government purposes, whereas 24.9 percent used internet for online shopping. 

"Some 62.3 percent of internet customers bought clothes and sports goods, 25.3 percent of them bought household goods like furniture and toys - excluding electronics - 24.1 percent of them used it for travel arrangements like buying transport tickets or to rent a car, 21.9 percent of them bought food or groceries, and 19 percent bought electronics including mobile phones, cameras, radios, TVs and DVD players in the last...