Geographic information systems in China
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are an increasingly important component of business, healthcare, security, government, trade, media, transportation and tourism industries and operations in China. GIS software is playing an increasing role in the way Chinese companies analyze and manage business operations. History. Geographic information systems (GIS) first became widely available in the 1980s and 1990s, when the only source of geographic data for China was paper maps. Several universities undertook the task of digitizing this information so researchers could use it. The two earliest projects were conducted by The Australian Consortium for the Asian Spatial  Information and Analysis Network (ACASIAN) at Griffith University and the China Data Center at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. ACASIAN specialized in spatial coverage while the China Data Center included GIS coverage in their mission to provide Chinese statistical and census data. High-quality GIS data is produced in China by both government organizations and private companies. China's National Spatial Data Infrastructure Project uses the WGS84 standard. The partial timeline is: Geographic Names Information System. In the early 1980s, China began studies for the establishment of its Geographic Names Information System () and Geographic Names Information System Research  Laboratory, and the establishment of the National Atlas of Geographical Names database research. Education. The China Association for Geographic Information System (), Peking University and other institutes sponsored the first "Innovation and Development, 2006 College GIS Forum" in Beijing. More than 300 experts attended the forum. Sessions involved China's GIS research in multi-disciplinary fields, personnel training, and technology. China has now more than 500 institutions of higher learning training GIS-related professionals, of which more than 200 universities and colleges have established a GIS lab. Industry. The GIS industry in China is worth 400 billion yuan per annum as  of November 2007. More than 300,000 people were involved in either building or using these systems, according to Zondy Cyber Group president Wu Xincai, who is also the president of the China Association for Geographic Information System. Almost 20,000 enterprises are estimated to have engaged in the industry. The biggest vendor of GIS in China is Zondy Cyber Group, followed by SuperMap. Around 2,000 of these have GIS as a core discipline or function. The industry's rapid expansion is attributed to China's economic development, which has led to an increase in capital input, from both government and businesses . Between 2001 and 2005, the Ministry of Information Industry allocated more than 20 million yuan to fund the development and application of GIS. GIS has been used in land survey, mineral exploitation, water conservancy and environmental protection. It also has applications in power generation, mapping, telecommunication, and the management of public administration and public services. Notable persons. Chen Shupeng (1920–2008) is considered the founder of remote sensing and GIS in China. Chen started the State Key Laboratory of Resources and Environmental Information System (LREIS) in 1987. Institutions. Major institutions include: