Assessing Web Compliance of Base Map using the Open Street Map: The Case of Adamawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The focus of this study is on assessing the reliability of base maps for web compliance with specific interest in its compatibility with the Open Street Map. Base maps are reference maps used in a particular jurisdiction to which all mapping projects are referred.  The Open Street Map is an online open source editable map of the globe available to GIS users. The study applied the use of the open street map to Adamawa state in Nigeria. The analogue map of the state was obtained, scanned, geo-referenced and digitized on the ArcGIS 10.1; this was then added to the open street map of the WGS 1984 Universal Transverse Mercator, auxiliary sphere. It was observed that the digitized map did not synchronize with that displayed by the open street map which prompted for editing. Two maps were then obtained, the first is the originally digitized map and the second is the edited map based on the open street map standard. The result showed two similar but different shaped and sized maps. The study recommends the use of the open street map as a referencing standard frame for the states currently undergoing digital spatial information transformation in order to maintain uniformity of standard in the country.

Keywords: web compliance, base map, OSM, Adamawa state