Croatia Launches First Spatial Data Infrastructure in Southeast Europe
March 10, 2010ESRI announced the Republic of Croatia has simplified access to countrywide geographic data through an online geoportal, a type of Web site that makes it easier for citizens, government, and private-sector users to find and access vast quantities of geographic information and related services. The geoportal has already proven its value as an essential component of the country's Organized Land Project, which streamlines and regulates the real property registration of land in the republic. By making data more accessible, the average time for processing changes to land titles has dropped from a 400-day average to 37 days.
According to the announcement, the geoportal is hosted by the State Geodetic Authority (SGA) of Croatia and can be found at www.geo-portal.hr/Portal. It is modeled after the European Union's Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE) directive to share geographic information across Europe. Dr. Željko Bačić, head of SGA, states, "Simple access to geospatial data is the key prerequisite for an efficient and economically prosperous society. The geoportal in active operation means that other governmental organizations can use SGA data but also make their data accessible. This is the first step to establishing a Croatian national geoportal as part of a national SDI."
The announcement stated that the SGA is able to support the discovery and purchase of national data through the geoportal while also providing strict access control and data quality policies. Data available through the geoportal includes digital orthophotos, basemaps, administrative units, and land survey information.
"The implementation of this portal is enabling a change in behavior from a restrictive data policy to a more open, transparent, and efficient use of spatial information," says Andrej Lončarić, director of GISDATA in Croatia and the southeastern region of Europe.
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