State of Qatar's Centre for GIS Recipient ESRI Award

The award recognises organisations that are maximising the benefits of geographic information system (GIS) functionality across the enterprise. CGIS is leveraging ESRI's ArcGIS suite of software among more than 44 government agencies that are integrated through a high-speed fiber-optic network. Dozens of GIS applications have been developed, benefiting government workers, private businesses, and citizens alike. These include the Electronic Place Finder which maps addresses and landmarks, a multimedia database of Qatar's National Archive of geographic names, GEMS - an easy-to-use map creation tool, and Electronic Route Finder - a new routing application for emergency and delivery services.

A primary goal of CGIS is to simplify data transfer between all agencies, minimise data redundancy, and ensure that suitably trained personnel are available to operate and manage the various components of the enterprise system. By enforcing adherence to the GIS standards it has established, CGIS has ensured compatibility throughout the GIS databases in Qatar.

Almost 20 years ago, Qatar established a National GIS Steering Committee and the Centre for GIS to set standards and oversee the implementation and development of GIS in the country. This led to the implementation of the world's first comprehensive nationwide GIS.