OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap Gives Kashmir To China

Posted by davespod on 14 September 2010 in English.

Interesting news of disputed borders represented in different ways in Google and OSM (headline a little misleading!):

http://www.katonda.com/news/13/2010/1875

The way it is reported, I assumed it was just a straightforward cock-up, but actually looks like it is a question of point of view. I knew there was a serious border dispute regarding Kashmir, between India and Pakistan, but I didn't realise there was any dispute with China:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aksai_Chin

http://tools.geofabrik.de/mc/?mt0=mapnik&mt1=googlemap&lon=78.74625&lat=35.50191&zoom=7

Location: Hotan County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang, 848000, China

Discussion

Comment from Gnonthgol on 14 September 2010 at 11:53

OSM is about mapping what is on the ground. According to the wikipedia article the area is administered by China. Wether or not other countries are claiming that area it is de facto Chinese. The boarder should then be placed on the line of actual control. Google have to be more political, but OSM can be factual.

But disputed areas are a problem in OSM. It is no technical problem with one area being in several multipolygons at once, but the problem is that someone might resort to vandalism. The best we can do is to remain as objective as possible.

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