Sustainable development of Lithuania geographic information infrastructure

Abstract

Geographic Information (GI) has tremendous economic and social value for any society. GI is very expensive to collect process and maintain, yet ever easier to disseminate cheaply via Web-based services and products. Much GI is collected by local and national government for specific purposes. One of the most valuable resources of a nation is its data. Not only the need for data sharing is important for everyday business processes, but it shows its value in decision-making phases during natural disasters or man-made emergencies where efficiency means life and property savings. The main aim of LGII (Lithuanian Geographic Information Infrastructure) is to develop an official Geographic Information source system or Infrastructure and Information Environment allowing the free incorporation of GI into almost any Public Sector Information (PSI) Services in Lithuania. One of the goals of LGII is an open, shared infrastructure for accessing and distributing information products and services online. To achieve this goal, data residing at regional and national organisations are to be implemented to common standards. The overall goal of LGII is to improve the quality of policy making, citizen's participation and market development through the increased use of GI, hence to provide a new means of acquiring knowledge. LGII as a part of Information Technology is a knowledge-gathering activity by its geographic nature. It is one of the effective components of the physical and economic infrastructure ensuring stable and balanced development of the economy and its efficient functioning. The issue for all the countries is not to ask the question whether a National GII should be implemented, the challenge is how to implement it in an effective way basing on the culture, specific requirements, priority and history of the country to promote economic development, to stimulate better government and to foster environmental sustainability.