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DIGITAL MAPPING AND GIS EDUCATION
IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Prof. O. O. Ayeni
Department of Surveying
Faculty of Engineering
University of Lagos
Lagos, Nigeria.
Commission VI Working Group 1
KEY WORDS: Digital, Mapping, GIS, Education, Developing Countries
ABSTRACT:
Digital Mapping for the purpose of this paper is defined in terms of operational activities involved in Digital Surveying, Digital
Photogrammetry, Digital Remote Sensing and Digital Cartography. Its relationship with GIS and Computer Assisted Mapping is
explained. A survey was conducted at the country-wide and tertiary institutional levels in order to provide answers to questions such
as “How have the developing countries fared in the acquisition and application of modern techniques of Digital Mapping and GIS
education?”
The result of the survey shows that developing countries and their tertiary institutions can be divided into four categories in
descending order of advanced development of modern techniques. The fourth category represented by least developed countries
needs urgent attention.
The survey also portrays North-South technical cooperation between developed and developing countries as a necessity for all
developing countries for the acquisition of Digital Mapping and GIS education and its application for mapping projects. Donor
countries and agencies involved in this type of cooperation are identified and commended. Possibilities for potential South-South
technical cooperation amongst developing countries are also identified. The merits of multinational cooperation through regional
centres and multi-institutional linkage cooperation are highlighted and encouraged.
1. INTRODUCTION
Digital Mapping for the purpose of this paper embraces Modern
disciplines in the Mapping Sciences such as Digital Surveying,
Digital Photogrammetry, Digital Remote Sensing and Digital
Cartography. It constitutes that branch of integrated Mapping in
which digitized images, digital imagery, or digital data,
electronically recorded are used for making maps or for
establishing positions on the earth’s surface through computer
processing. There are therefore two aspects of Digital Mapping -
the_discrete mode such as GPS whereby ground controls are
established or extended and continuous mode, by which maps
are produced. The common feature of these various branches of
Digital Mapping is that input data are obtained, recorded,
analysed and stored in digital form suitable for computer
processing. These four branches of Digital Mapping also
constitute the major sources of spatial information for
Geographic Information System (see Figs. 1.1, 1.2). For the past
two decades, the Mapping World has witnessed great strides in
the development of these modern techniques of mapping. For
example, photogrammetry has witnessed the transition from
analog to analytical photogrammetry and from analytical to
digital photogrammetry. Surveying has also been transformed
from ground to space or Satellite surveying while acquisition of
imagery of spatial objects has been extended from aircraft to
space vehicles. Metric photos can now be converted to digital
form and handled by digital image processing apart from
acquisition of digital images directly through digital cameras.
Manual cartographic processes have been transformed into
computer assisted cartographic processes.
Explanations are given in Figs. 1.1, 1.2 as to how the various
operational activities associated with the four branches of
Digital Mapping are connected with GIS. The past two decades
have also witnessed increased awareness of the importance of
GIS/LIS as an invaluable and efficient tool for storing,
retrieving, analyzing, updating and displaying spatial data. Most
importantly, GIS provides a database from where maps can
easily be produced and updated. Figs. 1.1, 1.2 also depict the
interconnection between the four branches of Digital Mapping,
GIS, Computer Assisted Mapping.
The crucial question is how have the developing countries fared
in the acquisition and application of these modern techniques of
mapping? What is the status of Digital Mapping and GIS in
developing countries? Are these countries aware of these
modern trends? Are these countries being marginalized in the
adoption and application of these modern techniques? If so, how
can they be assisted to come on board the modern trend? What
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efforts can the countries concerned make to acquire these
modern skill of Surveying and Mapping? The paper provides
answers to these and other related questions.
2. SURVEY OF FACILITIES AND EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAMMES
A survey was conducted to assess the status of Digital Mapping
and GIS education in some developing countries of Africa,
Latin America, Middle East and Eastern Europe. The survey
sought information concerning the availability of hardware and
software facilities, training programmes, research work, GIS
and Digital Mapping activities and technical assistance which
are related to modern techniques in these countries. Two types
of questionnaires, country-wide survey questionnaire and
tertiary institutional survey questionnaire were administered in
about 30 developing countries and over 40 institutions. Only 11
countries responded to the country-wide survey and about 22
responded to the institutional survey questionnaire. The
criterion for being a developing country according to the paper
is that the country must require technical assistance directly or
indirectly to develop facilities (hardware and software) and
manpower resources for Digital Mapping and GIS.
3. RESULTS OF SURVEY
3.1 Country-wide Survey
The Purpose of the country-wide survey was to identify the state
of the art of Digital Mapping and GIS in some developing
countries. The result of the survey as presented in Table 1
shows that developing countries can be classified into four
categories.
The first group of developing countries are those in which
modern techniques of Digital Mapping and GIS have been
introduced in many of their mapping operations. In these
countries exemplified by Brazil and South Africa, manpower
development is at an advanced stage with quite a substantial
number of people trained at a high level of competence in
Digital Mapping and GIS. In this group there are institutions
offering educational programmes in aspects of Digital Mapping
and GIS up to M.Sc. or Ph.D. level. See Tables 1 and 2 for the
training programmes of Brazil and South Africa. Countries in
this first category are also engaged in activities covering aspects
of Digital Mapping techniques such as GPS, DIP, GIS and
Computer Cartography.
The second category of developing countries from Table 1
consists of countries with a lesser number of qualified people in
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B6. Vienna 1996
