The agencies – UNOSAT, WFP Logistics Cluster, WFP Map Centre, ZKI, and MapAction – provide maps for humanitarian aid.  Each particular map is presented as a PDF, JPG or PNG file depending on agency and circumstance.

MapToGround selects agency maps that are useful for handheld GPS device operations and that include sufficient data for georeferencing.  For each of these maps MapToGround provides a JPG file (or, when applicable, a link to the agency JPG or PNG file), a georeferenced OZiExplorer MAP file and a georeferenced KMZ file.

Maps on the MapToGround site are paged by country (not by operation) and are ordered within the country page by the agency production date, most recent at the top.

If there is a map at UNOSAT, WFP Logistics Cluster, WPF Map Centre ZKI, or MapAction that you could use in another format then contact MapToGround with the filename and the name of your organization and MapToGround will (in all probability) provide applicable files.

Support material on this site includes pages on GPS and map basics, an introduction to OziExplorer and a brief discussion of the use of KMZ and GPX files with Google Earth and handheld GPS devices.  There is also a design toolbox which contains some elementary tools for refugee camp design.

Traditionally map to ground skills are regarded as the ability to visualize ground conditions from the examination of a (topographical) map.  The inverse skill, ground to map, is implied.  This site extends the concept of map to ground to include interaction between a GPS receiver and an electronic map image.  The intention of MapToGround is to enhance the usefulness of handheld GPS receivers employed by humanitarian workers in disaster relief situations.

There are several methods available for map to/from GPS receiver data transfer.  The most basic method is entirely manual.  The user reads a grid reference from the GPS receiver and by using the reference grid on her hard copy map marks the location.  Or inversely she reads a grid reference from the map and manually keys it into her GPS receiver.  The manual method is tedious.  MapToGround presents two alternative methods of interfacing GPS data with a map image.  These methods are two of several and neither is necessarily the optimum one in a particular context.

MAP file approach – requires basic GPS receiver, device running Windows O/S and Oziexplorer software.

KMZ file approach – requires GPS receiver with map display features and ability to read KMZ files or device loaded with Google Earth application.

UNOSAT is the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Operational Satellite Applications Program implemented in co-operation with the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).  The program delivers satellite solutions to relief and development organisations to assist communities exposed to poverty, hazards and risk, or affected by crisis.

UNOSAT has given permission for the use of its maps on this site.  UNOSAT requests that users credit UNOSAT and/or the original source if UNOSAT information is used in a formal document.

The Logistics Cluster is a UN cluster led by the World Food Programme, WFP.  It provides logistical support tools to the humanitarian community during emergency operations through the acquisition, compilation and dissemination of timely and accurate geographic information.

The maps produced by Logistics Cluster are often small scale maps.  Some of these maps do not offer utility for handheld GPS units and are not processed by MapToGround.  Nevertheless if there is a map at the Logistics Cluster map centre that you could use, contact MapToGround with the Logistics Cluster filename and the name of your aid agency and MapToGround will (in all probability) provide applicable files.

The Logistics Cluster has given permission for the use of its maps on this site.

The WFP Map Centre provides time-sensitive geographic information useful for aid professionals, including rainfall, flooding, transport links, earthquake effects and storm damage.

The maps presented by the WFP Map Centre are often small scale maps.  Some of these maps do not offer utility for handheld GPS units and are not processed by MapToGround.  Nevertheless if there is a map at the WFP Map Centre that you could use, contact MapToGround with the WFP Map Centre filename and the name of your aid agency and MapToGround will (in all probability) provide applicable files.

The Centre for Satellite Based Crisis Information, ZKI, is a service of the German Remote Sensing Data Centre.  It processes and analyses satellite imagery during natural and environmental disasters, targeted humanitarian relief activities and civil security issues.  The resulting satellite based information products are available on the ZKI web site.  These products include maps, GIS-ready geodata and dossiers.

MapToGround does not reproduce (in any format other small extracts) the material available on the ZKI web site.  MapToGround provides (for some ZKI maps) georeferenced MAP files to enable ready GPS interaction using OziExplorer software.

MapAction is an NGO that deploys trained and equipped humanitarian mapping and information teams to disaster areas.  The teams collect data from sources in the field which are collated, analysed and mapped.  MapAction's range of maps is extensive and the maps target operational questions such as logistics and population movement.

The material on this site was generated using data from UNOSAT, ZKI, WFP and MapAction.  The process also used software from OziExplorer and Mapwel.  No commitments have been given by UNOSAT, ZKI, WFP, MapAction, OziExplorer or Mapwel that their respective products are suitable for this application.  In addition, the respective conditions and disclaimers advanced with their products apply.  The material provided by MapToGround itself may contain errors as it is not feasible to field test the data and MapToGround gives no commitment to its validity.