El Mapa Integrado Andino del Norte

Abstract

The Integrated North Andean Map, is an initiative led by the Pan American Institute for Geography and History (PAIGH) and supported by the CAF/Latin American Development Bank, in the context of the GeoSUR Program. The aim of this initiative is to develop the first Integrated Map of the countries of the North Andean area at 1:250,000 scale through the coordinated work of the Geographic Institutes of Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. This initiative also receives the specialized guidance and technical coordination provided by the National Centre for Geographic Information (CNIG) of the National Geographic Institute of Spain. In addition, the National Section of the PAIGH in the United States of America has made special contributions through the International Technical Assistance Program of the Department of the Interior (DOI-ITAP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); there has also  been the specialized advice of the Geological Service of the United States (USGS). The map is intended to benefit all of the geographic information users in the countries of the Community of Andean Nations by means of making available and providing access to quality regional cartographic information that is oficial, integrated and harmonized at supranational level. This project integrates the main feature types of Hydrography, Administrative Boundaries, Settlements and urban areas, Transport networks, Land Morphology and some elements considered as indispensable to understanding the geography of each country, grouped under the title Miscellaneous. A participative methodology makes it possible not only to integrate technical criteria for the geospatial information of five countries, but also to ensure continuity for this Project by means of the commitment and integration between the official Geographic Institutes of each country, at a scale that is useful for regional planning and territorial organization.