Information divide can be defined as the gap between those who have
access to information sources and those who do not have an acceptable
level of access. This disparity in access to information is experienced
between developed and developing countries, and also within
countries in terms of urban and rural areas. This is more prevalent in
developing countries given the shortage of local publications, high cost
of acquiring information sources, coupled with the low priority of
information provision in the face of other pressing economic needs
(Credé & Mansell, 1998). In some respect, the information divide is
more prominent in island nations like the Maldives given the
geographic dispersion divided by the ocean.
The Maldives is made up of 1192 Islands, with 196 of the islands
populated (MPND, 2007). The provision of equitable access to the 196
individual island units, separated by the ocean, is a challenge the
country faces in all spheres of development. It is more prominent in
the provision of information sources (Riyaz, 2009).