As part of a partnership with the Directorate General for Overseas France (DGOM), INSEE has undertaken to draw up a picture of digital uses in Martinique, Guadeloupe, Reunion and French Guiana based on the results of the 2017 ICT-Households survey
According to the synthesis of the studies carried out in each of these four Overseas Departments and Regions (DROM), the frequency of Internet use remains lower than in metropolitan France. "The differences in access and use according to age, social category or degree are similar, except that they are more pronounced in the DOM for the oldest and least qualified. One out of two people declare low or average digital skills. Online commerce is not used very much, unlike government and public service websites.
Even more than in metropolitan France, age is a discriminating factor
Références :
While the equipment rate for 15- to 44-year-olds is close to that of metropolitan France, particularly in Martinique and Reunion, " it drops significantly for 45- to 59-year-olds. At older ages, the gap widens sharply: less than half of those aged 60 or more in the overseas departments have a computer at home, compared with nearly two-thirds in metropolitan France. Internet access at home is similar in the French overseas departments, at around 80 percent, slightly lower than the average for metropolitan France (85 percent). These rates vary according to age, level of education and socio-professional category, while maintaining a profile close to the values for metropolitan France. However, the gap is slightly more pronounced than in metropolitan France for older populations with little or no education.
One out of two Domiens uses the Internet daily
"In the DOM, 31% of people have not used the Internet in the last three months, compared to 19% in metropolitan France. French Guiana is an exception with 21%, thanks in particular to the youth of its population (In French Guiana, the survey was restricted to communes accessible by road). If the gap is small for young people who are familiar with digital technology, beyond 45 years, the difference is marked between the overseas territories and metropolitan France.
One in four Domiens without digital skills
26.3 of the Domiens declare they have no digital skills, compared to 19.6% in metropolitan France.
One out of two people declares low or basic digital skills, a level close to that of metropolitan France (53%).
The proportion of individuals with advanced digital skills is lower in the ultra-marine territories: it varies from 18% in Martinique to 23% in French Guiana, compared to 27% in mainland France.
The frequency of Internet use remains lower than in metropolitan France
Thus, just over half of the French overseas departments and territories connect to the Internet almost daily, compared to nearly two-thirds of the population of Metropolitan France. "Age and degree are more discriminating than in metropolitan France. The frequency of Internet use decreases sharply from the age of 45, and is particularly low for people with little or no education.
"Among individuals who have used the Internet in the last three months, usage in the French overseas departments is generally similar to practices in metropolitan France, with a few nuances. Thus, the Guyanese and Réunionese make proportionally more phone calls via the Internet or converse more via webcam. The youth of the population in these two departments also explains their greater appetite for social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Another particularity, this time common to the four historical DOMs, is that looking for or applying for a job is more often done online than in metropolitan France. The high unemployment among young people could partly explain this difference. Conversely, selling products or services online is much less common than in mainland France, except in Reunion Island, which has a more developed domestic market than the other three historical DOMs.
Use of online public services decreases with age
"Online shopping is much less widespread than in metropolitan France. One third of the French overseas departments and territories have bought on the Internet in the last twelve months, compared to six out of ten people in Metropolitan France. This lesser use is general, except for executives or professionals in the West Indies. Online shopping in the DOMs faces two pitfalls: the final cost of products burdened by delivery charges and taxes, and delivery times." The proportion of residents of the DOM who have contacted government agencies or public services online is close to that of residents of Metropolitan France. However, this apparent convergence masks some disparities. In the DOM, women use online services more than men (up to 12 points difference in Martinique). Regardless of gender, age is more discriminating than in metropolitan France: between the ages of 15 and 44, the use of online public services is almost as frequent as in metropolitan France, while it decreases significantly from the age of 45, in connection with a lower rate of equipment.
