Geo-information, Earth observation, and their role for society

We live in an information society. A large amount of all the information used today is referenced to a location in space and time. Geo-information is derived from various types of data acquired by means of Earth observation systems, surveying, photogrammetry, digitization, and other analog or digital sources. In this paper a general framework of spatial data handling with its organizational, societal, and cultural background is presented. We give a description of the technological developments, the mechanisms and procedures that determine the context of Earth observation and spatial data handling as well as their implications on society.