The Lands Department today launched the revamped GeoInfo Map and the new Hong Kong GeoData Store.

The initiatives enhance public access to the Government's web map service and enable public discovery and application of its geospatial data in a systematic manner for various innovation and information technology applications to facilitate smart city development.

Launched in 2010 to provide free and convenient access to accurate maps of Hong Kong, and the location and related information of public facilities and services, the GeoInfo Map is revamped with useful map tools and an enhanced location search engine.

The latest map interface facilitates searching for real-time information including weather, traffic, air and beach water quality, while the newly introduced geo-hashtags feature makes it easier to explore and obtain location information.

To facilitate web surfing with tablet computers and smartphones, a responsive web design has been introduced to automatically detect and adapt to the device in use for a smoother user experience.

The Hong Kong GeoData Store, the alpha version portal for the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure, enables users to explore different geospatial datasets provided by various government departments.

It also provides a user-friendly map interface for users to easily browse and understand various geospatial datasets.

The Hong Kong GeoData Store has converted 79 types of public facility geospatial data sourced from the GeoInfo Map into open and machine-readable formats of GeoJSON, GML, KML and CSV together with an API to facilitate free download and use by the public.

The portal is also equipped with other useful API services, including the Location Search API, Search Nearby API and Identity API to support innovative map applications by developers, saving time and cost when developing applications.

The Lands Department said it will continue making new geospatial datasets related to the city's built environment and facilities, and improve access to the various open data of public services.

It will also enrich the coverage and content of the Common Spatial Data Infrastructure to allow various industries to make more and better use of spatial data in support of smart city development.