State of national land survey and large-scale mapping

There is still a dearth of appropriate and adequate land survey and large-scale mapping coverage in many countries to facilitate more effective land-related planning, development and management. This situation, in relative terms, applies to both developed and developing countries. Fortuitously, technology is now available and accessible to expand land surveys and the production of large-scale maps at the scales required to support planning and sustainable land development and management. What is now required is official public policy recognition, the attribution of a higher level of priority to this issue, and the allocation of adequate resources to implement an expanded production programme of large-scale maps of cities, towns and villages to facilitate more appropriate settlements and other related land development planning.