A Template for Assessing Worldwide Cadastral Systems as Part of National SDI Initiatives

Many countries over the past few years have spent considerable time and energy in attempting to compile descriptions and reports in the area of land administration, without giving much attention to the role of cadastral systems and national spatial data infrastructures within a land administration system. The Permanent Committee on GIS Infrastructure for Asia and the Pacific (PCGIAP) and the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), together with the Centre for SDIs and Land Administration have attempted to address this through the creation of a joint cadastral template that has so far been filled out by 39 countries. The template collects descriptions of national cadastral systems as part of National Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) initiatives on a broad basis and the information is made publicly accessible on the web. The information can be used for comparing and assessing land administration and cadastral systems worldwide, in order to help countries re-engineer and implement their systems to address future needs. This paper aims to outline the concept and theory behind the development of the cadastral template and its relationship with National SDI initiatives and how it can help spatial information practitioners in improving and re-engineering their infrastructure and systems. Analysis of the data gathered from the completed templates is currently being undertaken with some overall results presented and future areas of work identified.