{"id":1397,"date":"2012-11-01T15:05:23","date_gmt":"2012-11-01T22:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/insider\/?p=1397"},"modified":"2012-11-01T15:05:23","modified_gmt":"2012-11-01T22:05:23","slug":"new-world-topo-basemap-design","status":"publish","type":"insider","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/insider\/new-world-topo-basemap-design","title":{"rendered":"New World Topo Basemap Design: An Insider Peek"},"content":{"rendered":"

A great map often starts with a great basemap. It’s the canvas upon which we paint our operational layers, providing context and bringing them to life. Esri has published many different kinds<\/a> of basemaps, including Streets, Imagery, Topographic, and more. These basemaps are continually updated as new information becomes available.
\nOne of the most popular basemaps (and the default ArcGIS Online<\/a> basemap) is the World Topographic basemap, also known as the “Community Basemap.” It’s a GIS crowd-sourced basemap that compiles data from many GIS users that participate in Esri’s Community Maps Program<\/a>.
\nThe basemap is compiled from the best available sources, and includes boundaries, cities, water features, physiographic features, parks, landmarks, transportation, and buildings. Updates are published monthly, and you can find more details<\/a> on ArcGIS Online.
\nThe original design for the basemap was based on a USGS topographic map. While recognizable to users in the US, it was not a design that people outside of the U.S. expected to see, and that’s one of the drivers for change. “The new design has more global appeal,” says David Watkins, Esri cartography product manager. “It underscores our commitment to the global community.”
\nHere’s a peek at the updated basemap, with the still-in-progress new design on the left, and the current design on the right:
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\nFeatures of the new cartographic design include:<\/p>\n