The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is

committed to meeting the Nation's needs

for current base geographic data and

maps. Our vision is that, by working

with partners, we will provide the Nation

with access to current, accurate, and

nationally consistent digital data and

topographic maps derived from those

data. This synthesis of information,

products, and capabilities, The National

Map, will be a seamless, continuously

maintained set of geographic base

information that will serve as a

foundation for integrating, sharing, and

using other data easily and consistently. 

The Nation Needs The National

Map

Governments depend on a common set

of base information that describes the

Earth's surface and locates features.

They use this information as a tool for

economic and community development,

land and natural resource management,

and health and safety services. Federal

functions ranging from emergency

management and defense to

environmental protection rely on this

information. Private industry,

nongovernmental organizations, and

individual citizens also use the same

geographic data. Geographic

information underpins an increasingly

large part of the Nation's economy.

USGS Role

The most widely known form of

geographic base information for the

United States is the USGS primary series

topographic map. The USGS has

produced more than 55,000 unique map

sheets and approximately 220,000 digital

orthorectified aerial images to cover the

Nation. These maps and images are a

national treasure, but the average primary

series topographic map is 23 years old.

Frequent changes on the landscape mean

that many of these maps are no longer

accurate and complete. The USGS is

committed to organizing and leading

cooperative activities to ensure that

current geographic base information is

readily available and useful.

A New Vision

The National Map will provide data

about the United States and its territories

that others can extend, enhance, and

reference as they concentrate on

maintaining other data that are unique to

their needs. The National Map will

promote cost effectiveness by

minimizing the need to find, develop,

integrate, and maintain geographic base

data each time they are needed.

Under USGS leadership, The National

Map will provide data and operational

capabilities that include the following:

 High-resolution digital orthorectified 

imagery that will provide some of the

feature information content now 

symbolized on topographic maps.

 High-resolution surface elevation 

data, including bathymetry, to derive 

contours for primary series topographic maps and to support 

production of accurate orthorectified 

imagery. 

 Vector feature data for hydrography, 

transportation (roads, railways, and 

waterways), structures, government 

unit boundaries, and publicly owned 

lands boundaries.

 Geographic names for physical and 

cultural features to support the U.S. 

Board on Geographic Names and 

other names, such as those for 

highways and streets.

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Fact Sheet 018-02

February 2002

The National Map: Topographic Maps for the 21st Century
 Land cover data that classify the land 

surface into categories such as open 

water and high-density residential.

Changes affecting The National Map

will be captured in near real time, rather

than through cyclical inspection and

revision. Currentness will be measured

in days and months.

Data will be seamless and consistently

classified, enabling users to extract

information for irregular geographic

areas, such as counties or drainage

basins, and to spatially analyze the

information. Data resolution and

completeness will vary depending on

geographic area and need. For example,

The National Map will contain higher

resolution elevation data in areas of

subtle relief variation, such as river flood

plains, to support hydrographic

modeling. 

Positional accuracy will be sufficient to

vertically and logically align features

from different data themes. Thus, river

course will correspond to land surface

slope, and boundaries will align with

corresponding features, such as roads or

rivers. The National Map will contain

data for many areas that surpass the

standards that have been applicable to

primary series topographic maps.

All content of The National Map will be

documented by metadata that comply

with Federal Geographic Data

Committee standards.

Building, Maintenance, and

Operations

The initial version of The National Map

will be based primarily on existing

available data. As the initial version is

improved, emphasis will shift to

maintaining data currentness through

continuous updating. Potential data

sources include State and local

governments, private industry, and local

trained and certified volunteers.

Access and Use

The National Map will be accessible

through the Internet all day, every day.

The data will be in the public domain.

Data procured from commercial sources

will include unlimited distribution and

use rights.

Users will be able to combine data from

The National Map with geographic

information available from other

organizations, such as cadastral

information from the Bureau of Land

Management and socioeconomic data

from the Bureau of the Census. The

National Map will be a foundation to

which all organizations can reference

their information, such as land use data,

school district boundaries, or wildlife

population counts.

The USGS will continue the tradition of

the primary series topographic map by

providing a standard set of paper

topographic maps and digital data

products derived from The National

Map. Customers will be able to create

their own maps by defining a geographic

area of interest, selecting unique

combinations of data, and printing their

maps at home or at kiosks that will be

available locally at libraries, recreational

suppliers, bookstores, and so on.

Strategies

The USGS will be the (1) guarantor of

national data completeness, consistency,

and accuracy; (2) organizer of

component activities; (3) catalyst and

collaborator for partnerships and

business relationships; (4) integrator and

certifier of data from all sources; (5) data

producer and owner when no other

source exists; and (6) leader in the

development and implementation of

national geospatial data standards. A

Federal advisory committee will make

recommendations on requirements,

business processes, technology

implementation, and skills development

that support The National Map

objectives.

The USGS will proactively seek

partnerships and business arrangements

with government agencies, the private

sector, and other organizations to develop

and operate The National Map. USGS

staff will be located across the Nation to

work directly with staff of other USGS 

disciplines, partner organizations, private

industry, and universities.

Taking advantage of the ongoing

convergence of broadband wireless

communication, mass data storage, and

geolocation capabilities in personal

digital devices, the USGS will encourage

the participation of organizations and

private citizens to serve as a volunteer

force for change detection, data

compilation and validation.

Vision and Commitment

The National Map is a new perspective

on geographic base information. By

sharing its vision, the USGS affirms its

dedication to refocusing and

reinvigorating its efforts to meet the

Nation's needs for this critical

information. The USGS will consolidate

and redefine its component mapping

activities and seek creative partnerships

to ensure that current, complete,

consistent, and accurate information is

available and useful to the Nation. It

will take sustained commitment to

achieve the full goals of The National

Map vision. In the near future, the

USGS and its partners will concentrate

on improving data and map content and

currentness for high priority areas, with

emphasis on building long-term

partnerships, and on improving data

access and dissemination capabilities.

We welcome your comments on The

National Map mission and strategies.

You can view and download information

about The National Map at

nationalmap.usgs.gov. Please share your

thoughts about the vision with the USGS

by e-mail at nationalmap@usgs.gov or

by mail to USGS-National Map, MS-511

National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley

Drive, Reston, VA 20192.

Information

For information on these and other

USGS products and services, call 

1-888-ASK-USGS or visit the general

interest publications Web site on

mapping, geography, and related topics

at mac.usgs.gov/mac/isb/pubs/pubslists/.

For additional information, visit the

ask.usgs.gov Web site or the USGS home

page at www.usgs.gov.