Wikimapia

WikiMapia is an online map resource that combines Google Maps with a wiki system, allowing users to add information (in the form of a note) to any location on the globe. Created by Alexandre Koriakine and Evgeniy Saveliev, the project was launched on May 24, 2006 and is aiming towards "describing the whole planet Earth". By 16 August, one million localities had been identified. By 2 October, the number of localities had increased to more than 1.6 million.

Until recently, WikiMapia had no registered users and no administrative hierarchy. All users edited anonymously and there was no mechanism for monitoring or disciplining problematic users. A registration system was introduced on 8-9 October 2006, however. Users registered for three days or more are granted some administrative powers, including the power to move, resize, delete, or protect objects. "Points" are granted to active users for adding, reviewing, and correcting places; as points accumulate, a user is granted additional powers. Active users of Wikipedia, and users in contact with Wikimapia before 5 October 2006, are exempt from the three-day waiting period. Additional functions are pending.

WikiMapia is unrelated to Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation, but the website states that it was "inspired by Wikipedia". WikiMapia allows contributors to add a "Hotspot" to any map by marking out a rectangle (with the maximum length of any one side being 20 kilometers) which is wiki-linked to a note providing information about the locality. The note may be in any of 36 languages currently supported, and may be modified by any contributor, as in a wiki. The link is activated by clicking within the rectangle.

One feature of WikiMapia is the sight "car" which zooms in and out over smaller and larger areas, respectively. It is used for exploring both maps and satellite photographs.

WikiMapia may be incorporated into any internet website. One opens WikiMapia, selects the desired option, and chooses "Map on your PAGE" from the menu. The user then selects the map coordinates and inserts the indicated HTML code into the desired website.

WikiMapia hasn't yet decided on license terms for the information contributed by people.

A GPS receiver can be connected to WikiMapia using a plug-in program (beta, download for Windows OS from WikiMapia site).

Limited WikiMapia functionality is available on:

• Google Earth, using Google Earth dynamic layer in KML file
• most Java-enabled cellphones using 3rd party software such as Mobile GMaps.

External links

• Wikimapia
• WikimapiaBlog
• Meta.Wikimedia/about the connection with Wikipedia