Spatial Representations and Spatial Data Infrastructures

Open Data: "data that can be freely used, re-used and redistributed by anyone".

As a first step, you may want to explore the >EU Open Data Portal.

There you will find loads of (European) government data sets, most aiming at enhancing the transparency of the public sector.

Only few of these are geospatial (explicitly georeferenced) data, most can be found by using the >GEOGRAPHY domain or keyword. From these, some are directly linked to a suitable viewing experience, like in this >Forest cover example. Others have to be downloaded and opened with a suitable viewing app/lication.

These developments, as well on national levels, are driven by the >Public Sector Initiative (PSI), recognizing that the vast holdings of governmental data have potential for economic development as well as for enhanced public participation.

A more mature environment, serving as a role model for many nations, is the >US open data repository.