Comparing Open Source Map Data in Areas Lacking Authoritative Mapping
One wide-ranging category of open source data is that referring to geospatial information web sites. Despite the advantages of such open source data, including ease of access and cost free data, there is a potential issue of its quality. This article tests the horizontal positional accuracy and possible integration of four web-derived geospatial datasets: OpenStreetMap (OSM), Google Map, Google Earth and Wikimapia. The evaluation was achieved by combining the tested information with reference field survey data for fifty road intersections in Baghdad, Iraq. The results indicate that the free geospatial data can be used to enhance authoritative maps especially small scale maps.
