Applied Geoinformatics for Society and Environment (AGSE), AGSE 2009

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Geo-Informatics in Sri Lanka

Vithanage Primali Anuruddhika Weerasinghe

Last modified: 2009-06-25

Abstract


The application of Geo-Informatics in Sri Lanka has been very significantly developed after Tsunami in 2004. Because of Tsunami, Governments sector, private sector and educational institutions like Universities are actively engaged in Geo-Informatics in Sri Lanka for different renovation purposes. Traditional disciplines like surveying, cartography and photogrammetry have been replaced with GPS (Geographical possition system) and GIS (Geographical Information System) technology due to easy digital data handling as well as quick complex analysis and visualization aspects of spatial data. Therefore GIS technology, data base management, spatial data modeling are gradually being incorporated into a wide range of management and decision making environments in Sri Lanka. As examples Urban Development Authority (UDA) uses GIS for planning purposes, Coastal Conservation Department uses GIS for modeling purposes etc. But still there is a big gap between available GIS functions and the current GIS application domain in the country.  This is mainly because of fewer professionals in Geo-Informatics field and even engaged people do not have enough knowledge in Geo-Informatics to fit with the vastly growing field like Geo-Informatics. Geo-Informatics Society of Sri Lanka is established in 2004 aiming to initiate GIS teaching and GIS training by Geo-Informatics professionals in Sri Lanka. There is a possibility to do certificate courses and short courses as well as researches on remote sensing, GIS and GPS. Most of the universities and postgraduate Institutes also started undergraduate courses like GIS for Natural Resources Management, GIS for environmental management, Remote sensing for Resources Management, Statistics for Analysis of Spatial Data etc, diploma courses and postgraduate courses for Masters and M. Phil students. But still there is a great growing demand of Geo-Informatics professionals which is a big challenge currently in Sri Lanka.


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