Geospatial Organisations

The following links relate to organisations that deal with geospatial information. They are grouped into relevant topics such as government bodies, newsletters, research and standards.

To suggest an organisation for this list, contact us.

Asia-Pacific organisations

Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC)
Services to promote sustainable development in the countries it serves, including installing Mapservers in 14 Pacific islands to improve the availability of geospatial data.

Permanent Committee on GIS Infrastructure for Asia and the Pacific (PCGIAP)
Maximises the economic, social and environmental benefits of geographic information in Asia and the Pacific.

Spatial Sciences Institute (SSI)
SSI caters to professionals who make up the spatial information industry. It gives a voice to the members of the spatial science community in both the national and international arena.

Government bodies

Australian Office of Spatial Data Management (OSDM)
OSDM facilitate and coordinate spatial data management across Australian government agencies.

Australia NZ Land Information Council - the Spatial Information Council (ANZLIC)
ANZLIC aims to facilitate easy and cost-effective access to spatial data and services.

Western Australia Land Information System
West Australian equivalent of Land Information New Zealand.

Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping (ICSM)
Implements ANZLIC policy - provides coordination and cooperation in surveying, mapping and charting.

International organisations

Geospatial Information and Technology Assn (GITA)
Focuses on education and information exchange on the use and benefits of geospatial information and location-aware technologies for asset and infrastructure management. There is an Australasian GITA Affiliate.

GeoConnections
Canadian website that aims to help decision-makers use online location-based (or "geospatial") information, such as maps and satellite images, to tackle issues such as public health, public safety and security, the environment and sustainable development, Aboriginal matters, and geomatics technology development.

Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI)
Promotes information collaboration in support of spatial data infrastructure developments that will allow nations to better address social, economic and environmental issues of pressing importance.

Group on Earth Observations (GEO)
GEO coordinates observations of Earth. It will proactively link together existing and planned systems around the world and support development to fill gaps.

OneGeology
An international initiative to make geological map data of the world publically available through the internet.

Mapping & surveying

International Map Trade Association (IMTA)
Worldwide organisation of the mapping, geospatial and geographic information industry.

International Cartographic Association (ICA)
Authoritative body for cartography, the discipline dealing with the conception, production, dissemination and study of maps.

United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Pacific (UNRCCAP)
Works to stimulate surveying and mapping of national territories.

International Federation of Surveyors (FIG)
International body representing all surveying disciplines.

New Zealand Institute of Surveyors (NZIS)
Committed to preserving survey practice and information across New Zealand.

New Zealand organisations

Geospatial Information Advisory Group (GIAG)
Advisory group aiming to increase coordination on geospatial initiatives within local government and between local and central government.

Spatial Information Business Association (SIBA)
SIBA campaigns to expand the spatial industry as a sustainable and increasingly significant business sector in the national economy, and promotes the value of adopting and using spatial information and technologies generally.

Newsletters

GEO News
A newsletter published every two months by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO)

SDI Newsletter (Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Association)
A monthly Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) newsletter published regionally for Asia and the Pacific, Africa, and Latin America and the Carribean.

Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Newsletter
Published monthly, the OGC newsletter includes updates on the OGC's work, news and opinions from the geospatial blogosphere and website picks.

e-News Spatial Matters (Spatial Sciences Institute)
Published at least once a month, e-News covers spatial matters across Australia and New Zealand.

National Geographic Email Newsletters
A range of National Geographic email newsletters can be freely subscribed to. Categories include travel, mapping, geographic education, and National Geographic projects and special events.

Oceans & geospatial information

Advisory Board on the Law of the Sea (ABLOS)
A joint advisory board (The International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) and the International Association of Geodesy) to provide advice, guidance and interpretation of the Law of the Sea.

General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO)
Provides authoritative bathymetry data sets for the world's oceans.

GEBCO Sub-committee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN)
This group works on defining names of undersea features, naming guidelines and decisions on names.

United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS)
Makes recommendations on the interpretation of the Law of the Sea for setting the boundaries of the Continental Shelf.

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)
UN Commission providing member states a mechanism for global co-operation in the study of the ocean.

International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO)
Intergovernmental organisation that supports safety in navigation and protection of marine environment. Part of its work is promoting and coordinating development of official digital products and services to meet requirements of mariners.

Research

Australasian Spatial Information Education and Research Association (ASIERA)
Forum for academics, teachers and researchers in the field of spatial information.

Co-operative Research Centre for Spatial Information (CRCSI)
Australian organisation coordinating research on new applications of spatial information and enabling technologies.

Geospatial Research Centre
The Geospatial Research Centre (GRC) is an academic research centre hosted by the University of Cantebury's College of Engineering, and based in NZi3, the national ICT Innovation Institute. The GRC team includes experienced research scientists, engineers, and PhD and graduate students, who are able to support a range of geospatial technologies and disciplines.

Geospatial Revolution Project - Penn State Public Broadcasting
Penn State Public Broadcasting is developing the Geospatial Revolution Project, an integrated public media and outreach initiative about the world of digital mapping and how it is changing the way we think, behave, and interact.

International Association of Geodesy (IAG)
Promotes scientific cooperation and research in geodesy on a global scale and contributes to it through its various research bodies.

International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS)
International cooperation in the advancement of knowledge, research, development and education in the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences.

Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)
Initiates, develops and coordinates high-quality international scientific research in the Antarctic region.

University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS)
Works to foster multidisciplinary research and education, and as a united voice for the geographic information science research community.

Standards

Standards New Zealand
New Zealand's leading developer of standards, producing standards solutions in a diverse range of areas. They are also New Zealand's representative on the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

E-government geospatial information standards
Geospatial information standards for New Zealand government information technology.

Digital Geospatial Information Working Group (DGIWG)
Multi-national body responsible for geospatial standardisation for defence organisations. NZ Defence Force is a member.

ISO/TC 211 Geographic Information
ISO is undertaking to establish a structured set of standards for information concerning objects or phenomena that are associated with a location relative to Earth.

International Steering Committee for Global Mapping (ISCGM)
Developing a ‘Global Map' series of global geographic sets of known and verified quality, with consistent specifications.

Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)
A non-profit, international, voluntary consensus standards organisation that is leading the development of standards for geospatial and location-based services.

United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN)
Working on solutions to the technical problems of domestic standardisation of geographical names.

Technology & application development

Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo)
Supports and promotes the collaborative development of open geospatial technologies and data.

IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS)
Theory, concepts and techniques of science and engineering as applied to remote sensing the Earth, oceans, atmosphere and space, as well as the processing, interpretation and dissemination of this information.

United Nations Geographic Information Working Group (UNGIWG)
Addresses issues around geospatial information that effect the work of the UN. Currently working on the UN Spatial Data Infrastructure.

Using geospatial data

PSMA Australia
Combines spatial data from Australian governments with leading-edge technology to create national spatial information datasets.

Joint Board of Geospatial Information Societies (JB GIS)
Coalition of leading geospatial societies, which speak on behalf of the geospatial profession at an international level.

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
The global forum for civil aviation.

International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (OGP)
The OGP has a Surveying and Positioning Committee that is the custodian of the EPSG geodetic database.