Wikimapia: Collaborative Mapping of The World

Here is really cool web site: Wikimapia.

This is a fusion of Google Maps with the concept of a Wiki where anyone can add/edit information on a site (similar to Wikipedia).

I visited and looked at Egypt. Many archeological sites to the West and South West of Cairo are mapped, and not only the most famous ones (the three pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx), but far more than that.

So, the next thing I do is go to Alexandria, Egypt, and I find nothing mapped. I try to put some landmarks from the Saba Pasha, Glym, Zezenia area where I grew up, and the result is here. Just move the mouse over any square or rectangle.

Then, I headed back to southern Ontario, and mapped a few things there, such as the this map of the Rockwood Conservation Area.

Since this is a collective effort by humans, human nature is evident too, in things like tribalism and graffiti. For example a Guelph native just marks it as "The best! Rated among top 3 cities in Canada!" rather than put any useful information.

Amazing indeed!

Resources

• digg article on Wikimapia.