The UK ranks third in a study of countries’ competitiveness in the IT sector by the Business Software Alliance, narrowly beaten by Taiwan (second) and the United States (first).

The list compares 66 countries on the extent to which they support the competitiveness of IT, taking into account factors such as overall business environment, IT infrastructure, human capital, the legal and R&D environment, and government support in IT.

The UK’s position rose a place on last year, driven by increased acceptance of e-commerce, strong IP protection legislation, high employment in the sector, and increased Internet penetration among the populace (up to 64%).

Within Europe, the UK ranked first, ahead of Sweden and Denmark. Iran came last overall, with Algeria in second last place.

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