EuroRegionalMap

The purpose of EuroRegionalMap (ERM) project is a multi-functional topographic dataset at scale 1:250 000 (medium scale). The first release of ERM 2002-2003 was as a test covering 7 countries (France, Germany, Belgium, Luxemburg, Denmark, Ireland and Northern Ireland); at the moment ERM is covering 51 European countries and territories.

The coordinate system of ERM is ETRS89-WGS84 (longitudes and latitudes are expressed in decimal fraction). The current version of ERM is from May 2019.

ERM geo-database is ideal for a wide range of uses, including spatial analysis, cartographic publishing and backdrop visualisation, or in combination with other datasets for marketing, planning and socio-economic analysis, environmental analysis, and transport management.

The ERM geo-database model has gathered all the feature classes into a unique dataset. Themes are not defined. The feature classes are defined as geo-database simple feature class: area, line, point. The feature classes hold and define the attribute fields. The features are defined as a subtype of the feature class. Coded value domains have also been defined for attributes at the subtype level.

EuroRegionalMap contains seven themes:

• The administrative boundaries: the administrative entities up to the lowest level and their administrative hierarchy. A unified coding system for all the administrative levels is included.
• The water network: information on the watercourses like the name, the navigability and the width range and information on the open water area, the seaside and the associated hydrologic equipment (dams, locks). All watercourses form a continuous network with connectivity through open water and underground rivers.
• The transport network: the roads and the railways, the ferry lines, the airports and the harbors. The roads and railways are identified by their number or their code and form a connected network associated with features like the railway stations, the parking places, the level crossings and the road interchanges. Connections between the different types of transport have been added.
• The settlement: the built-up area and populated places, their name and the number of inhabitants.
• The vegetation and soil: few features like wood, orchard or sandy area.
• The named locations are just main text features of big geographic area that are not portrayed in vector data and fit for cartographic purpose only.
• The miscellaneous theme holds various topographic elements like power lines, landmarks, and buildings.

The ERM metadata is based on the ISO 19115 standard.

More detailed information about the ERM project is available from www.eurogeographics.org.