Paper GEONAT: A Tunisian Approach to Introduce the Geomatics

Author: Mohamed Ben Sassi
Organization: Secretary of State for Informatics

N°16,Rue 8010,Montplaisir, TUNIS
TUNIS, CA 90807
TUNISIA

Phone: 216 1 790 885
Fax: 216 1 846 865
samia.biri@sei.gov.tn

Tunisia has launched the GEONAT program aimed at implementing a national geomatic system since 1998, developing a digital-based infrastructure, establishing a common referencing framework for all the territorial managers in order to frame the developing efforts already started, and establishing an exchange network between the different sector-based GIS. The adopted process for the realization of the national geographic information system consists of dividing the program into two subsets:
- A subset focusing on small scales mainly used for planification and territorial development
- A subset focusing on large scales particularly for urban operators
The small-scale component covers the whole Tunisian territory. It will serve as a work plan for all the parties involved.
The component, conducted by the Secretary of State for Informatics and focusing on urban areas, concerns essentially urban operators, municipalities, and network dealers, based on land aspects. The transition from a range of scales to another (precision) is reflected through the definition and the determination of all the objects, elements, and presentations to be taken into account. The first action performed, related to the urban component, has focused on the realization of an urban network database (BDRU), which has allowed a better evaluation of the feasability of common actions to be carried out between several partners and has made the different parties involved much more aware. A second action, which is in the process of being realized, focuses on an urban municipal database (BDUM), which aims to be global; in other words, it concerns all information linked to the space contained in a local territory. A third action will focus on the definition of a property information system (SIF), starting from a digital geographic basis.