Spatial information (also called geospatial information) is, at its simplest, data that is referenced to a place. We all use spatial information daily - finding the nearest café from an app on our smartphones, and planning our travel based on real-time traffic data are two examples.

At a wider level, geospatial information impacts most aspects of our economy - buying and selling property, land use planning, building new infrastructure (roads, hospitals, schools, lifelines), providing government services, and coordinating emergency responses. Most activities that we undertake daily rely on spatial data and the information technology that brings that data to life.

Spatial information has a huge impact on our economy. A 2007 study into the economic impacts of spatial information in New Zealand revealed that its use and reuse is estimated to have added $1.2 billion in productivity-related benefits.

To learn more about how our sector creates some of these benefits, have a look at our case studies.