Hide Password

Abstract

In the present paper the process of emergence and development of Geographic Information and Geographic Information Systems in Nicaragua is addressed. It addresses its history, achievements and difficulties, current applications, some integration efforts, limitations of the institutions and organizations that manage GIS, exposes the reasons for the incorporation of practitioners and students to the GIS and the results obtained. It was found that the main achievements in the development of GI and GIS in Nicaragua consist in the creation of basic legal and institutional conditions to establish the spatial data infrastructure, establishment of GIS for vulnerability analysis, metadata project advances and database standardization initiatives. Also to date there is a huge conceptual and methodological breadth in the use of IG assisted by GIS. The difficulties faced by the development of GI and GIS in Nicaragua lie in the scarcity of resources, both economic and human, problems of administration and intra- and inter-institutional coordination, contradictory demands, lack of access to information and underutilization of potential. of the SIG. Initiatives to integrate GI and GIS in Nicaragua have been scarce, provided by SGI, PAIGH; PROCIG and have not yet produced satisfactory results. It is visualized, that it is necessary the specialized technical development of instruments and technical equipment, training of qualified personnel in the practice in the compilation and preparation of geographic information. Interaction with advanced equipment from other countries can produce results superior to simple donations or financial aid.