25th Anniversary of Technology That Propelled GIS, Digital and Online Mapping into 21st Century

U.S. Geological Survey Adds TIGER Roads as Basis for National Map

The convenience of getting directions today on smartphones and tablets can trace its roots to the digital geographic database created 25 years ago by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) database — the first nationwide digital map of roads, boundaries and water — was initially created for the 1990 Census to modernize the once-a-decade head count. However, its impact has extended well beyond its initial purpose by offering common map data in electronic form that powers today’s geographic information system industry.

“TIGER is just one example of how innovation in the government has spurred innovation and positive economic results in the private sector,”

Census Bureau Releases New Version of TIGERweb

The U.S. Census Bureau announces the release of a new version of TIGERweb, a Web-based map viewer from the agency's Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing System (TIGER) database.

TIGERweb allows users to view and query census geographic areas and features such as roads, railroads, rivers, lakes and other larger bodies of water. It currently displays boundaries, names and codes for 2010 Census legal and statistical geographic areas, such as counties, cities, towns and townships, census tracts and urban areas. In addition, TIGERweb contains population and housing unit counts from the 2010 Census for each of the geographic areas.

For more info, go http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/miscellaneous/cb12-tps30.html