Worldwide offerings include political, elevation, vegetation, land use, socioeconomic statistics, and satellite imagery...

Redlands, California - ESRI is pleased to announce the launch of the Geography Network, a collaborative and multi-participant system for publishing, sharing, and using digital geographic information on the Internet.

The Geography Network can be thought of as a large online library of distributed GIS information, available to everyone. It has been designed to adhere to open standards for the dissemination and sharing of data and services. Professional users can connect to the Geography Network and directly use the data and application services provided by other participants. Data can be shared and integrated using a wide spectrum of simple to advanced GIS and visualization software technologies. GIS browser software on the Geography Network allows users to freely visualize, query, and analyze data. GIS software can also be used to connect one or more sites at the same time and using the techniques of digital map overlay and visualization, users can simultaneously combine and analyze many types of data from different sources.

The Geography Network is an open system designed using industry standards and protocols. It serves as a test bed for data providers and the Open GIS Consortium. The Geography Network is designed for GIS users who wish to share and disseminate their data; discover and use other people’s data by searching the metadata catalog; provide applications, such as location and mapping capabilities; and sell data and applications.

Geography Network users will be able to access online tools that allow them to define an area of interest and search for specific geographic content. A secondary menu will guide the user to mapping services and geographic data that are available for the selected study area. This will not only eliminate the need for the protracted Web searches currently required to find the data needed for a project but will also make the content immediately accessible online.

Hundreds of data layers are currently available through the Geography Network. Worldwide offerings include political, elevation, vegetation, land use, socioeconomic statistics, and satellite imagery, to name a few. U.S. data includes administrative boundaries, detailed streets, topographic maps, natural hazards, environmental hazards, demographic statistics, crime statistics, aerial photography, and much more.

Observes Jack Dangermond, ESRI President, “Perhaps the most interesting and important implication of the Geography Network is that citizens from around the world will be able to share in the rich treasures of information currently maintained and accessed by only a few. The result will be that over time everyone will learn and better understand how the world works. This will lead to better personal decisions and facilitate more participation and collaboration in the decision making that effects how the world evolves.”

For more information, visit the Geography Network site at www.GeographyNetwork.com.