caENTI Interactive Map – application of the web mapping technology in socio-economic studies
Geographical information systems (GIS) are becoming a common tool in applications that involve spatial data. In the last years the internet technology is moving GIS towards web based applications, simplifying the interaction between users and GIS, and at the same time reducing the ownership and maintenance costs.
In the framework of caENTI (Coordination Action of the European Network of Territorial Intelligence) we are developing a web mapping solution to present selected socio-economic indicators of European Union in the form of interactive map.
Web mapping technology (also known as web GIS, internet GIS) is a technology that enables the remote delivery of maps on the Internet. On the user’s side the web browser is used as a client and usually no software installation is necessary (maps are accessible from desktop and portable computers, mobile phones etc.).
Web mapping technology is an important component of a wider system, called geographic information system (GIS), which is an information system for capturing, storing, analyzing, managing and presenting spatially referenced data (i.e. data linked to location).
caENTI Interactive map demo
Web mapping enables delivery and publication of interactive maps, data from GIS, and associated metadata, with the ability to query, manipulate, and interact with data. It can display both raster and vector data structures, enabling the dissemination of a wide variety of data types, ranging from satellite imagery, digital elevation models, and topographic data to thematic maps and statistical data. Maps can be linked to databases and other information sources, allowing them to be visualized and queried. The system can also be extended to other resources and allows multimedia components, like photographs, video, sound etc. to be displayed for particular features of the map.
Web mapping system architecture
Web mapping system architecture is based on four basic components are found:
- Data: This is essential component of the system. Data can be vector or raster type, stored on data-server in variety of different formats, organized as files or databases. It can contain various socio-economical parameters as well as environmental information.
- Map / Mapping software: Web mapping software is server-side program that can dynamically produce a map (simple image) out of the data according to the client's request.
- Map tools / Web application: Map tools contain user tools to manipulate and explore the map (zoom in and out, pan) as well as to retrieve textual information (inquiry).
- Client / Web browser: On user's side ordinary web browser is used as a client to open the Web application and explore the map. No other additional software is required; some solutions however require download of additional plug-in component for the browser.
Web based interactive map is a very powerful tool. First, it is dynamic tool. End user can interact with it to display the map – and also contextual information – that he wants. This is the most important advantage compared to the static, pre-prepared maps that are basically static images. Second, it is highly visual tool, and graphical presentation can outperform normal textual or tabular information. Last but not least, it is very simple to use, only basic computer skills are required for the end user to be able to get all the capabilities.
Main objective of the web mapping portal that is currently in development within the caENTI framework was to design an interactive map of Europe for visual representation of selected caENTI indicators (five have been selected in the beginning: total population, part of foreigners, unemployment rate, household composition, and net income available for household). It will be built on standard web mapping technology, possibly on an open source based software solutions. The final goal is to give the user with only basic computer knowledge – in short time – the means to visualize and analyze socio-economic parameters.
