WikiMapia
From IdeasInTransit
Wikimapia is an online map and satellite imaging resource that combines Google Maps with a wiki system, allowing users to add information, in the form of a note, to any location on Earth.
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Product
WikiMapia allows any contributor to add a tag to any location by marking out a polygon around the location and then providing a title, description and adding one or more categories. Users are also able to add images and embedded YouTube videos, which will all appear on the place's information window.
The data on Wikimapia is also avalable as a .kml file for viewing as a layer in Google Maps as well as being connectable to GPS devices.
History
Wikimapia was created by Alexandre Koriakine and Evgeniy Saveliev and was launched on May 24, 2006 with the aim of describing the whole world. As of March 2009 it has over 9.5 million places marked. While registration is not required to edit or add to WikiMapia, over 200,000 users from around the world are currently registered.
Developments
In October 2008 a Beta version was made accessible to registered users for testing and has since been released in open beta. The new interface adds new features such as "terrain patches" and a new layer, called "Wikimapia Map". The Wikimapia Map layer shows only information that is made by Wikimapia users, such as polygons and roads. You can also filter what places are displayed on the map by their category.
A Wikmapia wiki was also started for documentation and to help with collaboration.
