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Release date: Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 6:47 pm
Last updated: Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 6:48 PM
Both UAE nationals and expats are reading more books, with the average adult reading volume reaching seven books per year in 2023, according to a national survey. This figure is up from an average of six books in 2021.
The Ministry of Culture announced on Thursday the results of the UAE National Reading Index 2023, a biennial survey aimed at assessing reading habits in the country. The survey is part of the country’s mission to make reading a way of life by 2026.
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Not only are UAE readers completing more books, they are also turning to online content – in fact, 90.4% of them read on social media platforms, up from 88.1% in 2021.
Reading materials are also available from a variety of sources.
About 53.4% buy books online, 27.6% buy books at book fairs, 28.3% buy books from bookstores, about 18.6% borrow books, and 7.7% use other sources.
In comparison, the figures for 2021 are 43.6% e-purchases, 37.6% book fairs, 32.3% dealerships, 18.4% book borrowing and 8% other sources.
When asked about their motivations for reading, about 53.5% of the respondents said they simply liked the habit of reading, while 50.5% said it was for information needs, about 24.3% cited professional motivations, and 31% said the existence of a suitable environment helped them.
In contrast, the reasons that motivated individuals to read in 2021 were pleasure (55.1%), information needs (47.6%), professional motivations (21.8%) and the availability of a suitable environment (20.6%).
Enriching culture and knowledge
“The UAE National Reading Index reflects our leadership’s dedication to enrich culture and knowledge across all segments of Emirati society,” said Mubarak Al Naqi, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Culture.
Survey participants included over 3,800 nationals and expats across the UAE, 150 writers, over 1,700 students, and over 3,900 teachers and parents whose reading habits and preferences, ranging from traditional to innovative, were surveyed in collaboration with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre (FCSC).
“The UAE National Reading Index field survey was conducted based on accepted international standards and methodologies in statistical work, ensuring the delivery of comprehensive, accurate and high-quality statistical results and data,” said Hanan Ahli, managing director of FCSC.
Preferred Language
In terms of reading language preference, the percentages in 2023 were English 51 percent, Arabic only 24.6 percent, Arabic and other languages 12.4 percent, French 1.1 percent, and other languages 6.4 percent.
The figures for 2021 were 47.7% for English, 26.6% for Arabic only, 12.1% for Arabic and other languages, 1.2% for French and 5.8% for other languages.
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