THE GEOSUR PROGRAM, A REGIONAL INITIATIVE TO INTEGRATE AND DISSEMINATE SPATIAL DATA IN SOUTH AMERICA.

摘要

GeoSUR (http://geosur.caf.com) is a regional program to implement an effective and interoperable mechanism for generating, disseminating, and leveraging geospatial data useful for decision-making in South America. The Program was originally developed to meet the need of the Initiative for the Integration of Regional Infrastructure in South America (IIRSA, www.iirsa.org) to gain access to national and supra-national geospatial data needed to better plan and execute infrastructure projects in the region.The Program has subsequently grown to serve a wider public and other development objectives, both continental and national. The main objectives of GeoSUR are the following: (1) Facilitate access to geoinformation useful for decision-makers; (2) Develop supra-national geoinformation as a regional public good;(3) Establish a decentralized regional geoinformation network; (4) Promote greater collaboration and exchange among geospatial specialists of South America. GeoSUR has adopted a decentralized system architecture; one that keeps data close to its producers. This means that participating agencies implement and directly operate their map services, spatial data catalogs, and other geoservices. Neither data nor services are centralized. GeoSUR provides the means for users to access this regional and national network of geospatial data via a regional geoportal.