OpenStreetMap
LOL, just searched the mailinglist archives for "Niger"- no hits...
Seems as if the interest for this country is not this big- probably I'm really on my own here.
But wait- I just checked the map of Niamey (Nigers capital), at least someone else heard the call and started mapping the city too. Thanks a lot for the contribution.
I did some more reading up on the country: extremely poor nation, struggles form desertification, draughts, bandits, the fact it has no access to the sea etc..
No railways exist in the entire country.
About 70 % of the land is desert- the percentage is growing.
In 1996 there where just 10000 km of roads, and only 798 km are paved- wicked. This country must be 4x4 drivers heaven.
The tree of Tenere was the most isolated tree in the world (no other tree within the next 400 km). Unfortunately it got run down by a truck driver- ROFLMAO.
Happy mapping, Christian
ચર્ચા
Comment from Wynndale on 9 August 2009 at 11:19
Have you thought about how we could get a local community going to fill in the gaps and keep things up to date? Does anyone know someone who’s gone abroad to work or study, or is there a magazine that circulates in Africa we could promote OSM in?
Comment from zenfunk on 9 August 2009 at 17:44
Not really, according to wikipedia and wikitravel the least thing the Nigrens worry about is open source maps. It seems that the posession of a computer, let alone internet access is prety uncommon. GPSes too. Of course it would be great to have a local community in every village or so but I think this won't happen in the forseeable future. Of course my estimate could be way off (and I sincerely hope so!) and be not at all that pessimistic. I
Comment from zenfunk on 9 August 2009 at 17:49
Not really, according to wikipedia and wikitravel the least thing the Nigrens worry about is open source maps. It seems that the posession of a computer, let alone internet access is prety uncommon. GPSes too. Of course it would be great to have a local community in every village or so but I think this won't happen in the forseeable future. Of course my estimate could be way off (and I sincerely hope so!) and be not at all that pessimistic.
So far I haven't tried to contact anyone from the country itself. If anybody knows someone from Niger that could be of help- please come forward. I myself will have a look around. Also there is a long tradition of touristic 4x4 drivers that pass through Niger while crossing the Sahara. A lot of GPS tracks should exist on various harddrives since these guys where early adopters of the GPS technology.
I'll have a look in some of their forums and spread the word when I can find the time.
Comment from zenfunk on 9 August 2009 at 17:49
Sorry, double post.
Comment from Rikki on 10 August 2009 at 02:02
There is a lot of potential for OSM in under-developed nations. You never know who is working in those countries, and who might have the ability to contribute such as foreign aid workers etc. From a recreational/tourist point of view, adventure motorcycle riders travel through these nations and can be potential source of GPS tracks. Just go for it and you knows what it might inspire on a local level.