The Status of Topographic Mapping in the World a Unggim–isprs Project 2012–2015

Abstract

ABSTRACT:In December 2011, UNGGIM initiated a cooperative project with ISPRS to resume the former UN Secretariat studies on the status of topographic mapping in the world, conducted between 1968 and 1986. After the design of a questionnaire with 27 questions, the UNGGIM Secretariat sent the questionnaires to the UN member states. 115 replies were received from the 193 member states and regions thereof. Regarding the global data coverage and age, the UN questionnaire survey was supplemented by data from the Eastview database. For each of the 27 questions, an interactive viewer was programmed permitting the analysis of the results. The authoritative data coverage at the various scale ranges has greatly increased between 1986 and 2012. Now, a 30% 1:25 000 map data coverage and a 75% 1:50 000 map data coverage has been completed. Nevertheless, there is still an updating problem, as data for some countries is 10 to 30 years old. Private Industry, with Google, Microsoft and Navigation system providers, have undertaken huge efforts to supplement authoritative mapping. For critical areas on the globe, MGCP committed to military mapping at 1:50 000. ISPRS has decided to make such surveys a sustainable issue by establishing a working group. ORIGINS OF THE PROJECTIn 1986, the Department of Technical Cooperation for Development of the United Nations Secretariat completed the last survey on the "Status of World Topographic and Cadastral Mapping". The results of the survey were published by the United Nations, New York, 1990, , 1968-1974-1980-1986-2012 While the surveys presented in 1986 did not concentrate on map revision on a global basis, they nevertheless derived an update rate for the four scale ranges: range I range II range III range IV update rate 1986 3.2% 1.8% 2.7% 3.6%This points to the fact, that in 1986, the maps at the scale relevant to national planning operations 1:50 000 were hopelessly out of date.

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