Portal:Press
 Press |
 Press Kit |
 Logos, Flyers |
 Press images |
 Places |
 Mapping projects |
 Statistics |
 In the media |
Overview of OpenStreetMap.org
OpenStreetMap (OSM) is dedicated to creating and providing geographic data, such as street maps, worldwide, for free.
The OSM project was started originally because most maps considered "free" actually have legal or technical restrictions on their use. In the view of OSM, these restrictions hold back anyone from using them in creative, productive or unexpected ways.
Today, the more than 500,000 contributors to OpenStreetMap create geographic data in a number of ways. Most important is acquiring original data. To do this, contributors use GPS, cameras and their own observations to record the precise locations of roads, buildings, amenities, services, etc. Often, they are creating maps entirely from scratch. The other way they contribute to OSM is by correcting existing data. In some areas (particularly in the United States) there is existing open licensed map data that has been imported into OpenStreetMap, but this data may be inaccurate or out of date. Contributors use local knowledge and aerial images (such as those recently provided to the project by Bing) to correct and refine the accuracy of this data.
To get this data into the maps, OSM provides online map-editing tools for uploading to OSM's huge (and growing daily) database. That data is then processed and will show up within minutes on the detailed street-level maps.
The core value of OpenStreetMap.org is that these maps can be published freely on Web sites, or printed and copied without restriction. The underlying data can be downloaded for free, for developers to use or redistribute in new and exciting ways.
For more information about OpenStreetMap, see "Fast Facts" sheet (PDF). For more information, see the About page, and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
See Press Contacts for people in OSM who are ready to answer questions from journalists.
News
To get up-to-date information on OpenStreetMap, you can subscribe to the mailing list (see Contact page), read the opengeodata.org blog, or see the list of events. This includes "Mapping Parties" (like the big Isle of Wight and Mapchester events of the past), and the annual State Of The Map OpenStreetMap conference.
Contact
All details on the Contact page
