1. NAME OF NATION: MEXICO

  2. Name of Person Supplying Information: Guadalupe López Chávez
    Title (if any): General Director of Geography INEGI
    Mailing Address: Héroe de Nacozari Sur No. 2301 Puerta 8 Nivel 1 Fracc. Jardines del Parque  Aguascalientes, Ags. 20270 México
    E-mail Address: glopez@dgg.inegi.gob.mx
    Telephone Number: (49)16-66-80
    Fax Number: (49)18-29-59

  3. Does your nation have an active or proposed initiative for developing a national spatial data infrastructure (or its equivalent)?

    4. YES. However, note that we are just beginning to think about a NSDI. Information gathering is under way and some courses and meetings both in Mexico and abroad have been attended by some people. A Clearinghouse in Aguascalientes (Mexico) has been established for testing purposes in connection with regional data infrastructures.

    **** POLICY ISSUES ****

  4. LEADERSHIP: Which agency or organization is coordinating or leading national spatial data infrastructure

    5. (NSDI) development efforts in your nation? (If no single agency is coordinating, please provide a primary point of contact from whom we may learn more.)

    Agency/Organization Name: National Institute of Statistics, Geography and Informatics (INEGI)
    Mailing Address: Héroe de Nacozari Sur No. 2301 Fracc. Jardines del Parque Aguascalientes, Ags. 20270 Mexico
    E-mail Address: glopez@ddg.inegi.gob.mx
    Telephone Number: (49)16-66-80
    Fax Number:  (49)18-29-59
    Name of Agency Head or Primary Contact Person: Lic. Guadalupe López Chávez

  5. AVAILABILITY: What are the primary types, categories or forms of spatial digital data being made available through your nation's NSDI?

    6. To start with, we are thinking about the next: Geodetic Information, elevation model data, bathymetry, digital imagery, state boundaries, transportation, hydrology, land use and vegetation, geology, soils, climate, total annual rainfall and mean annual temperatures.

  6. MECHANICS OF ACCESS: Through what technical and organizational mechanisms are spatial data being made available through the NSDI?

    7. We think access to spatial data will be provided through the establishment of NSDI clearinghouse nodes linked to the Internet.

  7. LEGAL AND ECONOMIC FRAMEWORKS FOR ACCESS: What are the legal and economic constraints under which citizens, businesses or others may gain access to data available through the NSDI?

    8. So far there are not any legal or economic constraints attached for access to the information as far as INEGI's geographic information is concerned. This is in compliance with the policy to grant the public service of geographic information to all interested parties, either through free distribution or by charging a cost to other parties, most of the time to cover for production costs. However, digital information is actually under consideration both in terms of legal and economic grounds to guarantee its best use and recovery of costs.

  8. DATA COLLECTION COORDINATION: What parties are involved in collecting data for the NSDI and how is data collection coordinated?

    9. There are several agencies besides INEGI in charge of collecting (and producing) data for their own specific purposes both in the fields of topographic mapping, as well as in the realm of natural resources thematic cartography. For example, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, Mexican Petroleum (PEMEX), the National Power Commission, The secretary for Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries, and some others. So far, this data collection is not oriented to any NSDI, but in the future the several agencies are likely to be coordinated by INEGI, the Agency which by law is entitled to coordinate all official efforts and activities regarding geopraphic information at the central government level. This extends to other levels of government and social groups including both the academic and private sectors which could be involved through various forms of agreement.

  9. PRICING: If charges are assessed for spatial data made available through the NSDI, what is the basis or method for determining the price of various forms of spatial data?

    10. So far, pricing policies are the subject of a specific area within INEGI which through marketing and other means establish prices for the data taking into consideration production and dissemination costs. In the case of NSDI this existing infrastructure could be used in the future giving due consideration to general NSDI policies to be developed.

  10. COMMERCIAL INVOLVEMENT: Please describe how private commercial firms are involved in helping to build the NSDI.

    11. So far, the role of private commercial enterprise has not been considered to build a future NSDI.

  11. PUBLIC DOMAIN DATA SETS: Please describe those digital spatial data sets for jurisdictions within your nation that are available to anyone without any licensing or intellectual property restrictions imposed on the data sets and the data sets are available at no cost or little cost. How may copies be acquired of these public domain data sets?

    Refer to answer to question number 7 above. Actually, at least as far as INEGI's datasets is concerned almost all are public domain datasets and no licensing or intellectual property restrictions are imposed over the information. Copies of data are available to anyone provided official prices are paid for. However, we can not insure this situation will go forever.

  12. PUBLIC GOODS ASPECTS OF NSDI: Please describe any additional services or goods provided by government in support of the NSDI for which individual users are not charged.

    13. Not considered at this time

  13. PRIVACY: Please describe how the information privacy of individual citizens is protected relative to data that may be accessed through the NSDI.

    This issue has to deal with common law and has not been considered at this time.

    14. **** OPERATIONAL ISSUES ****

  14. AUTHORITY: Do the laws or formal orders of any legislative or executive branches of government explicitly recognize the need to establish or further develop the NSDI?

    YES, but perhaps not explicitly. We are referring to the Statistical and Geographic Law governing the statistical and geographic activities in Mexico, where the National Statistical and Geographic Information System is defined in terms of a conceptually predetermined data structure organized to show the situation and interdependence of economic, demographic and social phenomena and its relationship with the physical media and territorial space. The authority has been granted to INEGI in terms of coordination and standards development, data collection, production and dissemination.

  15. FUNDING: Have funds been specifically budgeted and acquired for NSDI activities?

    16. NO

  16. INCLUSIVENESS: Please describe the types and extent of participants involved in building the NSDI and their roles.

    17. Acoording to the Law the participants to any NSDI initiative should be:

    The Central Federal Government The state Governments The Municipal Governments The academic sector The private sector

    Their roles should be later specified. The idea is to be 100% inclusive in the future.

  17. COMPONENTS: Please indicate whether the vision of an NSDI for your nation incorporates the following components or concepts.

    18. A. METADATA YES
    B. CLEARINGHOUSE YES
    C. DATA STANDARDS YES
    D. CORE DATA YES

  18. RESEARCH: Have funds been specifically budgeted and spent on research projects to advance NSDI concepts?    

    19. NO

  19. LINKAGE TO GENERAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS - Which international or national information and communication technology standards has the NSDI adopted?

    20. None so far, the NSDI is not yet operable, it will take some time.

  20. GLOBAL SPATIAL DATASETS: Does your NSDI provide access to spatial datasets with global coverage?

    21. NO, the NSDI is not yet operable, it will take time for that.

  21. GLOBAL OR REGIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVES: Is your NSDI formally affiliated with or connected to any global or regional spatial data infrastructure initiatives?

    22. YES The Global Map Initiative, for which we shall be soon applying to participate. Connection with the APSDI (Asia-Pacific Spatial Data Infrastructure) in terms of information about their developments. Also, connection with UNRCC's (United Nations Regional Cartographic Conferences).

  22. LONG TERM VISION OR STRATEGIC PLAN: Has a long term vision statement or strategic plan been developed for your country's NSDI?

    23. NO. Not formally at this time, but undoubtedly it will have to be developed in the next future

  23. GRAND CHALLENGES: Name one of the most pressing challenges for NSDI development in your nation.

    24. As a grand challenge we can think on budgetary and organization issues to implement any initiative in connection with the efforts to prepare ourselves to assimilate and deal with the several technical fields involved, including what may be the difficult coordination of several agencies and sectors.

  24. FURTHER INFORMATION: If an NSDI WEB SITE exists where information about NSDI efforts in your nation may be found in the future, please provide the web site address.

    25. If brochures are other written materials exist describing NSDI efforts in your nation, please provide an address for requesting copies of these materials.

    If a user requirements analysis or cost-benefits analysis was undertaken to estimate the benefits of building a spatial data infrastructure for your country, please provide an address for requesting a copy.

    Not yet available

    No yet produced and available

    Not done so far